In the U.S., one national health observance for May is National Fitness and Sports month. As part of this observance, educators, parents, policymakers, and pediatric care providers can turn to the National Youth Sports Strategy and other goals in order to maintain kids’ physical health. As pediatricians and parents learn more about how mental and physical health are intricately connected, this spring is a great time to consider how your practice can invigorate both mental and physical health for all children.
According to The New York Times, a Centers for Disease Control study found that “70 percent of children from families with incomes above about $105,000 – four times the poverty line – participated in sports in 2020. But participation was about 51 percent for families in a middle-income range, and just 31 percent for families at or below the poverty line.”
Various factors combine to keep kids from physical play: more impoverished school districts may find budgetary restrictions for kids’ sports; parents and older children dependent on employment to meet household needs may not have the time or resources to pay for sports equipment, transportation, or demanding practice/game schedules.
While some communities sponsor free programs for youth sports, it is clear that systemic changes to education funding and sports education would be beneficial in closing the gap between more affluent and the less privileged, but no less deserving students.
There has long been a connection between the emotional and mental health benefits of physical activity such as sports, behind the physical fitness benefits kids stand to gain. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports physical activity as beneficial for kids’ whole health, and raised concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic about the loss of access to sports on the physical and mental health of children, especially as kids were forced to attend school at home.
The connection between physical and mental health is well-established. Benefits include emotional regulation, lung and heart health, and an improved ability to respond to stress.
As physicians consider their practice’s needs through the spring and summer seasons, it’s likely that sports physicals for spring sports are already top of mind. As we’ve discussed previously, sports physicals for any season are important check-in points, especially for older children who may miss annual visits.
Be sure to check out our previous post to learn more about billing for sports physicals, using the sport physical as a critical check in, your practice as urgent care, and even sports specialization.
Physicals are also a great opportunity to check in with kids’ mental health, in addition to regular evaluation at well-care visits. Sports-related or not, checking in with kids on how they’re feeling about participating in physical activities can allow pediatricians a glimpse into their overall well-being, and introduce important topics such as body image, competitiveness, social skills, self-confidence, and more.
Motivational interviewing (MI) has been found to be effective in these conversations. In a metadata report in Pediatrics, the effectiveness of motivational interviewing (MI) was considered. In this context, MI was used with parents with the intent of positively changing the lifestyles of their childrens’ physical activity. The metadata found that there were significant changes after this method was used, both in body weight and in other positive changes.
Not all kids can or care to participate in group sports, but there are plenty of other opportunities for kids to get active and keep their brains and bodies healthy. In another post, we discussed indoor activities like yoga, resistance training, and bodyweight exercises, which can often be done inside or with zero to minimal equipment.
Wondering how your practice can integrate more mental health care into your practice, besides the important conversations you hold with patients in the exam room? You might consider integrating mental/behavioral health into your practice model, via hiring a mental health professional, collaborating with a pediatric-inclusive network, or another method. PCC has a resource to help you determine which integration works best for your practice and your budget. Check out the ebook.