Why Should Your Child Be Active?
The obesity rate for children with disabilities in the United States is 38 percent higher than for children without disabilities. Nutrition is one component to a healthy lifestyle, but exercise also plays a key role. Engaging your child in an active lifestyle will:
- Burn calories to promote a healthy weight
- Decrease appetite
- Improve sleep patterns
- Improve self-esteem
- Decrease stress
- Promote a healthy metabolism
- Improve heart heath
How much exercise is enough?
Though amount of exercise will vary depending on your child’s abilities, it is recommended that most children get 60 minutes of activity a day.
What are good types of activity?
The type of physical activity your child engages in will depend on abilities and preferences. Some possible options include:
- Walking or jogging as a family
- Playing tag
- Gardening with mom and dad, digging holes, pushing a wheel barrow, or raking
- Dancing
- Video games that incorporate movement
- Water aerobics or swimming
- Walking the dog
- Playing soccer or kickball
- Community sports or organizations
- Biking
- Playing on a playground
How can you encourage your child to be active?
- Include friends or siblings
- Make it fun
- Try to eliminate the chance for injury
- Modify activities to meet your child’s abilities
- Make it challenging, but not competitive
- Do not do the same activity all of the time
- Show interest and ask questions about the activity
- Try using rewards or reinforcements that do not involve food (stickers, clothes)
- Give your child daily chores
- Include your child in your own exercise routine
Why Might Group Activities Be a Good Option?
Participation in an organized group sport or activity encourages exercise and also opens doors to making friends. So often, children with disabilities do not have the same social opportunities typically developing children have that can add to an overall sense of health and well-being.
Choosing groups that include children with and without disabilities may be a good option. Inclusive groups have benefits for everyone involved, and celebrate different types of strengths and skills. Ask other parents who have children with disabilities about their success with local inclusive sports leagues and organizations. Often, only slight modifications need to be made to include a child with a disability in any group sport. Organizations like the National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability provide resources for sports organizations seeking to be more inclusive.
Other good options may be groups like Special Olympics that offer individual and group sports specifically for people with disabilities. Though these types of programs are not inclusive, they offer the benefits of exercise, the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, and encourage social opportunities.
*Be sure to talk with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.
‣ VKC Resources
‣ Local and National Resources
- Able Recreation Association, Inc. (ABLES)
- Challenged Athletes Playing Equally (CAPE)
- National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability
- Special Olympics Tennessee
- Sports 4 All
- Sumar, Sonia. (1998). Yoga for the Special Child: A Therapeutic Approach for Infants and Children With Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and Learning Disabilities. Sarasota, FL: Special Yoga Publications
- Tennessee Best Buddies
- Tennessee Greenways and Trails
- Tennessee State Parks
- YMCA of Middle Tennessee—Full Circle Program
Content for this tip sheet was developed by Jenna R. Brinkman as a component of her participation in the Dietetic Internship Program at Vanderbilt University.
Top photo by Getty Images/iStockphoto
[May 2014]