Children’s health
When a child's unwell, finding the right support is crucial. Get expert information about common problems affecting children, plus treatment options and advice on improving their health.
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Children’s health conditions and treatment
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Expert help for all of family life
Watch experts explore the biggest family topics – answering questions, sharing advice, and giving you the best tips for getting the whole family feeling better, moving more, and living life to the full.
Getting active as a family
Exercise is a great way to bring the family together and help young people to build healthy habits. Dr Zoe and fitness expert and founder of StrongLikeMum, Shakira Akabusi, share advice and ideas on getting the family active.
As a child, playing outside forms such an important part of growing up and it's really important for a child's development as well, both their physical development and actually developing things like independence and resilience.
But for working parents in particular, it can be really difficult to try and find the time to play outdoors with your child.
So today I'm joined by Shakira Akabusi, founder of Strong Light Mum.
I'm gonna have a little chat about some of the benefits of exercise outdoors as a family and also how, as a parent, you can encourage your children to get outdoors and play.
So Shakira, let's start off with what are some of the benefits of exercising for children and actually for the whole family?
So I think being outside gives us this really amazing opportunity where we can bond and play away from other distractions from technology and screens, you know, getting outside and doing something in the open air.
And there's so much research behind the benefits of exercising outdoors, being outdoors together, and even just the colour green, how that can boost our mood and our wellbeing.
And for children, being able to feel the floor underneath your feet can really help them to grow and develop with things like coordination and balance and just exploring the natural world.
So it's just a really part, a good part of their overall wellbeing and growth.
And I once learned that if you ask a person their first childhood memory, the first thing they can remember, the majority of people will say something about when they're outdoors- That's interesting.
because we tend to be happy when we're outdoors.
So are your kids ever really reluctant to go outside and play?
And if they are, how do you overcome that?
Yeah, so absolutely, I mean, all of my children enjoy being outside once they're there, but I think you hit the nail on the head, how do we get them out of the door.
And so for me, I just set them a small little commitment.
So I'll say to them something like, "We'll go outside for five minutes and then we can come indoors and get snugly," and then we can come indoor.
Once they're outside, they're in the moment, they're enjoying themselves, more often than not, we're likely to stay outside for longer once we're there.
And also, really encouraging them by making it adventurous, making it fun.
You know, my children love treasure hunts.
I can write little clues down or I'll say something like, "Let's go and climb a tree and see how high we can get.
Can we get to the moon?
" or, you know, and doing all these kind of games.
Making it high energy, making it exciting.
Are there any other types of sort of games or activities that you recommend families can try or actually the children, we can encourage them to go out on their own- To do it on their own.
have a go out.
So I think the more imaginative and creative, we can make an exercise.
You know, maybe it's not a plank, maybe it's a train tunnel, you know, for children.
And my middle son actually came up this great idea the other day.
He said to me, "Mama, I want to do planet yoga," and he took us through all the different planets, and on the moon, we were jumping around and then we spanned like the rings on Saturn and, you know, bringing that creativity into movement and activity to make it fun for them and make it an adventure.
That's kind of imagination as well, isn't it?
'Cause I think, often children now, they are immersed in a video game or they're looking at a screen.
and actually, for the brain to develop, using our imagination is really, really important.
And it's not just about children, it's about us as well.
There are loads of benefits for us as adults to exercising outside.
Is that something you like to do and how do you find the time, having four children, to get outdoors and exercise yourself?
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, for me, being able to exercise as a mom, that's really where this deep love for exercise grew even more for me because often, you know, you mentioned I have four children, it can be busy, it can be noisy, there's a lot of demand on my time, and being able to get outside, whether it's just for a five minute stretch or a 20 minute walk around the block, it just allows me to sort of decompress and release some of those stresses that I feel, and then I can go back into parenting often feeling much more positive than I did before.
I can only imagine, four children, young children, how much noise and chaos that must be so.
.
.
It can be noisy, yes.
You know, as for fitting in the time and when can we do it, for me, there's certain times of the day where I'll feel more energetic or, I love early mornings, so I can get up half an hour early.
And I know, even though we might think exercise is gonna drain our energy, it can actually give us energy.
So if I can get outside and go for a walk or a jog for half an hour, I'm gonna feel much more fueled and prepared for the day ahead.
Yeah.
No, you're right, it does give you more energy but there's no way I'm getting outta bed a minute earlier than I absolutely need to.
That wouldn't work for me.
But I think, for me, you know, being busy being a mum of one, I'm very, very busy.
I don't know how you do it.
For me, I've had to make it a non-negotiable.
I've had to make sure that exercise and spending some time outdoors go to the top of the list because it's so easy for that self-care to slip to the bottom of the list.
But I know that if I'm doing that, even if it is a 10 minute walk around the block, like you say, it's not just good for me, it's actually good for everyone else who's around me as well.
Absolutely.
And if you can't, you know, find the time to get outside without your children, go out as a family and have that time all together.
Yeah, brilliant advice.
Thank you.
How to encourage teenagers to get active
Exercise is a great way to bring the family together and help young people to build healthy habits. Dr Zoe and fitness expert and founder of StrongLikeMum, Shakira Akabusi, share advice and ideas on getting the family active
Exercise is so important for young people to thrive when they're young, but also we know that being active when you're young means you're more likely to be an active adult.
Today I'm joined by Shakira Akabusi, founder of Strong Like Mum, and we're gonna be talking about some tips for how parents can encourage their children to be active and engage with exercise.
So, Shakira, why is exercise so important for young people and also how can families benefit from being active together?
So I feel like this is a really crucial time, because this is where we're gonna lay those healthy habits that we're gonna take forwards with us into adulthood.
And this is for the whole family to engage in exercise.
It's not only a bonding experience, but actually, it also allows us to have a goal, achieve something, learn about focus, persistence, getting that hard work ethic in, and particularly now for young adults, teenagers, getting that sense of community outside of the home in a new sporting environment can be really confidence boosting and a great way for them to explore a little bit of independence as well.
Yeah, I think there's something about exercise.
Obviously it's great for physical health, it's really important for mental health too but it can build that resilience, it can build character.
I know for me as an individual, I think, getting into exercise really helped with confidence and actually becoming competitive has a knock-on effect that it really helped me with my academics as well.
And we know that being active can help children focus and concentrate and therefore help them attain better goals.
Absolutely, and it's great, it also helps us sleep better and achieve this better sleep pattern.
And that's gonna help us feel more energised, more focused throughout the day, particularly if you're looking at exams for example, being able to relieve that physical tension that we might have.
And also just to boost our brain focus and our energy is always fantastic.
It's also been linked to less challenging behaviour.
So I think I can get all the kids through.
So how can parents encourage their children and teenagers and I think teenagers in particular, often they just wanna say no to whatever their parents are suggesting.
So how can parents overcome that and, I guess, support their youngsters to get active?
So, firstly, I think, a lot can be done just by having these healthy habits and demonstrating these healthy habits ourselves.
So, role modelling.
Role modelling it, yeah.
And just using positive language around sports.
So focusing maybe on how it makes you feel and not referring it to yourself as being boring or draining or, "Oh, I've got to go to the gym.
" You're making it seem fun and exciting when you're discussing it in front of your children, and then I think we can help to encourage them in so many other ways by letting them explore what they're passionate about.
Often we can have a sport we really enjoy, and try to push that onto our children, but actually letting them explore their natural, where they naturally want to go with it and giving them that freedom.
I think part of the, and what can be a really challenging part of parenting teenagers is that sort of stepping back from being the problem solver and the giving ideas and coming up with the solutions and letting them come up with their own solutions and ideas and really supporting them with that.
It's a really important part of them growing up, becoming more independent and making decisions for themselves.
That's it.
So what are some good ideas then of, I guess, things that the kids and teenagers can actually do to be active?
So there's so many great ways we can keep active as a whole family.
You might want to create a rounders game.
We did that all the time growing up playing family rounders.
It was so much fun and really brought the fun into it for me.
And then it might be that you can be a little bit competitive within your family and maybe that's gonna motivate some people and trying different things.
Maybe we can incorporate being active into a hobby that your child already has.
So if they're into gaming, maybe we're gonna get a game where we're standing up and we're being physical with it.
If they are interested in painting, maybe you can hike with them to a beautiful view so that they can paint something from a different perspective.
And just finding different ways to bring movement into their day-to-day.
I think sometimes it's a bit about planning as well, isn't it, wherever you're going.
Say for example, you're going for a day out as a family and you're gonna stop in a field and have a picnic, just for an example, making sure there is a ball or a Frisbee or something there, that enables that physical activity in a fun way.
Exactly.
All right, well thank you so much.
I think the key message here is that it's so incredibly important for young people to be active and that's what encourages them to become active adults as well.
And sometimes it's about thinking outside the box, but really, really encouraging and supporting them when they are being active.
Absolutely.
Parental burnout
The pressure of being a parent can leave some at risk of burnout. This is a state of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion. Dr Zoe and Dr Rebecca discuss how to spot the warning signs and minimise stress before it becomes a bigger problem.
Burnout is so common, and I really don't think we talk about it enough.
So Rebecca, what is burnout and what does it look like?
Burnout is the result of long-term stress, and it manifests itself as emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion.
We all know that stress is a natural part of life, and actually it can be very motivating.
You know, those external pressures like a work presentation or having a very busy day can really motivate us to get through.
But if it happens for too long or in too high amounts, then that can lead to burnout.
And the symptoms of burnout can be very general.
They can problems sleeping, problems concentrating.
But if you're experiencing parental burnout, actually it might mean that you're snapping at your children more than you used to, things like feeling very guilty about your own parenting ability, and doubting your own ability to be a parent, or even not wanting to spend time with your children, about kind of feeling resentful about spending an amount of time with them.
The reason why it's so important to manage is because if it goes unchecked, it can lead to long-term consequences.
Physically, it can lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, but also emotionally, it can lead to depression and anxiety, and also those unhealthy coping mechanisms that you might develop because of stress, such as, you know, drugs or alcohol or smoking can become really entrenched.
And I think importantly, it can really impact on your relationships as well, so that can be your relationships with your children, like you say, me snapping and then feeling really guilty about it, or with your partner, you might sometimes feel resentful of them if they're having an easy time.
It can affect your sex drive.
Yeah.
But also with family and friends, you might not want to go out and do the things you used to enjoy doing, and that can be another sign that there's something, that you're not coping so well.
Yeah, it's about really understanding how have I changed from normal?
Like where's the old me gone?
Yeah, yeah.
I think that's a really good way of thinking about it.
And what would you say are some of the main contributors when it comes to burnout?
Well, for people with young families, they're trying to juggle everything, aren't they?
Yeah.
You know, things are busy at home.
We know.
We know. Things are busy at home, they're often working as well, and they're feeling like they can't drop any of those balls.
Yeah.
And I think the lines between work and home life have become completely blurred as people work from home.
Yeah.
You know, they're trying to put washers on in between teleconference calls and running off to- Feels it.
Running off to get the kids.
And that means that stresses can build up, these kind of small stresses that used to be manageable can suddenly build up and become really overwhelming.
I think that sometimes it's just the thought, the fear of, you know, if my child isn't well and can't go to their childcare, and how am I gonna cope with that?
We're juggling so many things, like you say.
And I think trying to be perfect at the same time, trying to keep a tidy house.
And so, what are some of the things people can do to alleviate some of this stress and manage their lives to avoid burnout?
So there are personal things that you can do, like going back to basics in terms of making sure that you're getting enough sleep.
I know that's really hard for people with young children.
You know, making sure that you're eating well, so that means not eating the leftovers or getting a takeaway when the kids have gone to bed, but maybe trying to carve out time where you can all make a nice meal together, so that you're getting good nutrition.
Making sure that you have exercise, I'm a really big believer in that.
And that you're getting outside to get daylight every day.
But also, you know, maybe keeping a journal, jotting down your worries, taking time to do self care, time like breathing exercises, even in the middle of a busy day.
But then there's external things.
You know, you mentioned the house.
Actually, it doesn't have to be tidy all the time.
So it's really about prioritising the things that you can drop.
Yeah.
And take off your plate, just until the kind of volume of those other stresses has reduced.
And I think also asking for help, because often people are willing to help.
So asking for that help and expecting it and not feeling like you have to be superwoman and do everything by yourself, or superman.
Yeah, yeah.
Exactly.
Exactly.
And I think if people are really struggling and even, you know, putting some of those things in place, they feel they are approaching burnout, then getting some professional help.
Yeah, and I think a great place to start is your GP.
Absolutely.
They're really used to talking to people about these kinds of issues, and about signposting people to the right kind of help, whether that be talking therapy, or maybe even some other referrals or treatment if that's necessary.
Burnout in teenagers
Burnout is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion. It's often associated with adults, but it can affect teenagers too. Dr Zoe and Dr Rebecca discuss how to spot the warning signs and manage the impact of stress on your teenager.
So Rebecca, we're gonna talk about anxiety especially thinking about teenagers 'cause of course it can affect people of all ages.
What's the difference between anxiety and normal feelings of anxiousness that we all get from time to time?
So we all get feelings of being worried or fearful in response to particular triggers.
Where it starts to become anxiety is where you are getting those feelings in the absence of triggers, and where those feelings are giving you either physical symptoms or they're starting to change your behaviour to the extent that it's impacting your day-to-day life.
Right, so with teenagers specifically, what are some of the main causes or triggers of anxiety?
Being a teenager is a really difficult time because you're still exposed to life events like a bereavement, even things like changing school or moving house, that can be really disruptive.
But in addition to that, family conflict or conflict within friendship groups can be very difficult for people to weather.
And they're often at an age where they're starting to embark on their first romantic relationships and that again takes a huge amount of adjustment.
I think they're different to their parents' generation in terms of the social pressures that they're exposed to now, and that's something that it's difficult for our generation to understand.
Social media constant 24/7 exposure to things that might make us feel terrible.
Yeah, and they're doing that whilst trying to revise for GCSEs A levels university exams it's a lot for them to balance.
Yeah.
it's pressure from all angles I suppose, isn't it?
And there's no off switch, it's constant.
So what might be some of the signs that a parent could look for if they were worried about their child and anxiety?
So the signs can be a change in their behaviour maybe becoming more irritable or more tearful also potentially more withdrawn than normal.
Yeah.
So they may not be wanting to engage with you as a family or with their friendship group.
Spending a lot of time in their room is often a big one, isn't it?
Yeah, it really can be.
And in addition to that, some of those physical symptoms that people may not necessarily associate with anxiety, palpitations, feeling on edge, feeling restless, some difficulty concentrating, all can be signs.
And I think as older adults we're more able to articulate and say what's wrong or have an argument often with teenagers they haven't quite developed that skill yet, so it can come out as outbursts of anger or just bursting into tears and their sort of things to look out for as well, I think, can't they?
So how about supporting a teenager then?
I mean, first and foremost it's really important to raise the topic.
How can you do that and then offer support?
So it's really important to be able to talk to your teenager and it's about how you broach the subject.
It may not be a single conversation over a dinner table it may be a number of conversations in different settings until you can kind of understand what's at the heart of the matter.
And it may also be that you are not the right person for them to speak to.
You know, is there another trusted adult in their life who might be a good person to talk about their concerns too.
I think there's something around recognising with this age group that you know whilst you are the parent and you kind of used to being able to fix their problems and offer solutions and the temptation may be to do that.
Whereas actually we have to recognise that they are an expert in themselves and some of the solutions for their specific needs are probably more likely to come from within than them.
And our job is more to facilitate that, be there for them, be a partner, let them feel like they're not on their own but guide them towards finding their own solutions.
I think that's such an important point Zoe.
You know, they may have spoken to their peer group, they may have had friends who have been through similar experiences.
So actually they might come to the conversation with ideas for what might help them.
And actually I think that allows you to build a really trusted relationship to try and to test and learn different techniques that might help them.
That might be exercise, diet, those sorts of things.
But it also could be deep breathing exercises, trying meditation or even trialling things like cognitive behavioural therapy.
And if you need additional support from there where's the best place to go?
So there's lots of support for teenagers.
Good place to start is the school.
The teacher might be able to provide additional insights into what's happening.
You might be able to come up with a joint strategy to address it.
There's also often school pastoral support, counselling support that you can access.
At university, you can often sign posts to a university counselling service as well.
And I think if you want additional support, either with that or after that, then the GP is a great place to go.
They're very used to talking to young people about some of their concerns and can often support you.
Teenage health: your questions answered
Advice on young children’s health
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Advice on teenage health
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††Families pay 10% less for a joint policy compared to the price of separate policies for each family member. Cover must include at least one adult and one or more children. Children do not have to live at the same address as the main member. This offer applies to our Bupa By You Comprehensive and Treatment and Care health insurance policies. This offer may change or be unavailable when you renew.
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