School can be stressful at times for 9-year-old Ava. But the weight on her shoulders is really making her feel the pressure. Her backpack weighs 10 pounds. Ava is far from the only student burdened with books.
Thousands of kids in the United States are treated in emergency rooms for backpack-related injuries every year. Knapsacks should always be snug against your body with the heaviest items closest to your back.
Cynthia Pegler, MD wants to remind parents that it is a joint responsibility between the parents and their kids to pack the bags lightly. She says a backpack should weigh no more than 10 percent of the child’s weight.
