Your Child’s Physical Hygiene Affects his Self-Image

Biology and genes can make growing up a challenge – if bad eyesight runs in the family, your child may need to wear corrective eyewear; if he inherited genes that cause teeth to be crooked, he may have to endure a few months of wearing braces; and if obesity runs in the family, well, he may be prone to it, too. Teen years become an awkward time of transformation as skin breaks out in acne, hair grows in all the wrong places and voices become characteristically dissonant. For children and teenagers, this is a challenging period, especially since as your child develops, he or she will start becoming more aware of his or her appearance.

It doesn’t help that their fellows can be callous and insensitive to their plight and the schoolyard can be a tough place to adapt to. Teasing and bullying are the inevitable consequence of children who possess unpalatable traits, unusual features or anything that sets them apart.    

This is why parents should realize that it’s vital that they help their children deal with these situations in the right way. A child who looks good and feels good about the way she looks will have solid self-esteem and confidence. Here are some of the problems that can plague a child’s appearance as he grows up, and advice on how to help deal with them:

(Related story: Bully-proof your Child!)

[previous|page|next]

Obesity
As you know, weight gain doesn’t happen in the flick of a finger – it is the result of months and years of a number of factors. Here’s how to abate the chances of your child becoming overweight:

1. Regularly monitor his weight.
Checking the bathroom scale daily is effective in keeping tabs on one’s progress or regression. It teaches your child to be more vigilant with her food intake.

2. Keep a food diary.
If your child knows what and how much he’s been eating, he may figure out what’s making him fat. Nothing is more revelatory than seeing an accounting of your food intake on print.   

3. Proper diet habits is key.
It isn’t just eating the right foods, it’s about eating right. It’s not just avoiding junk food and fast food – your child should learn to chew her food thoroughly and slowly, to eat small, frequent meals, to eat meals with the family and not just in front of the computer or TV. Studies show that reduced calorie intake has more obvious effects than just exercise without diet.

4. Encourage physical activity.
Nonetheless, exercise is good for overall health, whether your child is obese or not. Try to get them to spend more time in sports, martial arts, dance or other activities, as opposed to parking on a couch while playing with an iPad. However, take note that some video game consoles such as the Wii and XBox Kinect, have games that actually make the player get up and break a sweat.

5. Give positive reinforcement.
None of these tips are easy to practice. Your child may get frustrated and will feel discouraged if he doesn’t see immediate results. Give him all the encouragement, motivation and back-patting he needs to be able to pick himself up each time he falls. Be stern but gentle and be aware of the progress he manages to make. Consistency is important.

[previous|page|next]

Pimples and Bad Skin
Bad skin can affect a child’s self-esteem greatly, so follow these tips to keep your child’s complexion at its best.

1. Encourage proper skin care.
To help prevent the oil and dirt buildup that contributes to acne, teach your child to wash her face at least twice a day (or more often) with warm water. Teach her not to scrub her face hard with a washcloth as acne can't be scrubbed away - in fact, scrubbing may actually irritate the skin and pores, making the acne worse. Cleansing the face should be done gently.

Makeup and sunscreen should be labeled "oil free," "noncomedogenic," or "nonacnegenic." These qualities mean they won't clog pores and contribute to acne.
For older children who are fond of hair sprays or gels, tell them to keep the hair away from their faces, as these products can also clog pores.

2. Seek professional advice.
There’s no harm in paying the dermatologist a visit. If your child has issues more severe than acne, such as allergic rashes, psoriasis or other such conditions, a licensed doctor will be more able to give proper advice and treatment. You may also need help from an allergy specialist if your child’s skin problems are the result of an allergic reaction.

3. Watch their food.
It’s considered a myth that oily or greasy food such as pizza or burgers cause acne to get worse. However, some children and teens find that their skin breaks out after consuming chocolate, carbonated soft drinks or French fries. Although there is no conclusive evidence to link these foods to acne, it can’t hurt to cut back on said foods and see if the acne ceases.  Plus, it would be good to get your child used to veggies, fish, grilled meat and other healthy alternatives.

4. Help them decompress.
In most cases, stress doesn’t cause acne. However, it can make existing acne worse – a 2007 study from Singapore showed that stress increased the production of sebum (a secretion of the sebaceous glands that moistens and protects skin). The study showed that stressed kids were 23% likely to have increased acne severity.

5. Remember, it could be hormonal.
Especially for girls beginning their menstrual cycles, hormonal imbalance may cause acne in spite of all the skin care. If the acne outbreak is too severe, a dermatologist or gynecologist may be able to prescribe hormone-managing medicines or topical antibiotics.

[previous|page|next]

Braces and Halitosis
Growing kids are at a point where they are discovering how to become sociable. However, they sometimes don’t realize how important oral hygiene is. Reinforce good oral habits with these tips:

1. Get the right braces.
For some kids, braces are a status symbol, indicating how much money one’s parents are willing to spend to correct crooked teeth. For others, they can be a source of misery, making a child feel ugly, and is a cause for physical discomfort.

One alternative you could try is a product developed by a company called Invisalign – the dental aligners they manufacture are made of clear polymers and are almost invisible.  They are also removable and cost a bit more than normal braces. However, because they are detachable. they require vigilance on your part in reminding your child to keep wearing them as prescribed.

Whatever dental appliance you and your child choose, you should make sure you pick the right one for the right reasons. Seek out advice from an orthodontist so you can properly weigh your choices  

2. Encourage proper oral hygiene.
Brushing isn’t enough, especially for kids with braces. There are special techniques to brushing and flossing with dental appliances (ask your dentist, orthodontist or Google it). Even for those who don’t have braces, practicing proper oral hygiene is a must. Teens who suffer from bad breath, gum disease and tooth decay may have dental issues that can be remedied with regular brushing, gargling, flossing and regular visits to the dentist. Baking soda also helps – simply sprinkle a tiny bit onto your child’s toothpaste will help clear unwanted plaque.

 

Photo from eselfesteem.org