Demand for more school sports for chronically ill children

Individually adapted training programs: More school sports for chronically ill children

A recent report has shown that about every fourth child in Germany suffers from a chronic disease. Some of the young patients are released from sports at school. But according to experts, the importance of sport for chronically ill children is much higher than in healthy children. Therefore, more personalized training programs should be used.

Every fourth child suffers from a chronic illness

About one in four children suffers from a chronic disease, as the recently published DAK Health Report on Children and Youth shows. "Among the most common ailments include eczema, asthma, allergies and chronic inflammatory diseases of the intestine," writes the health insurance in a statement. Some of the little patients are exempt from school sports. But according to health experts, this often does not make sense.

Experts demand that chronically ill children - for example, with congenital heart disease, type I diabetes or asthma - are not exempt from school sports, but that increasingly personalized training programs should be used. (Image: Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com)

As much sport as possible

Chronically ill children - for example, with congenital heart disease, type I diabetes or asthma - should not be exempt from school sports, but on the contrary, it should be increasingly personalized training programs are used.

This is what experts demand on the occasion of the German Heart Day 2018 in Berlin on the basis of current study results.

Their motto: As much sport as possible, just as much sport restriction as necessary.

Great potential for prevention and education towards a healthy lifestyle

According to Dr. Richard Eyermann (Rehabilitation for Children and Adolescents, Schönblick Clinic, Berchtesgaden) would have a great potential for school sports prevention and education to a healthy lifestyle, but too little used and currently neither the needs of healthy nor chronically ill children justice.

"For chronically ill children with congenital heart disease, Type I diabetes or asthma, sport is of particular importance and should be an integral part of the therapy management," said Drs. Eyermann according to a message.

"Our studies on intensified school sports, such as the BREGASS study and on sports and exercise therapy in children and adolescents with congenital heart disease, type 1 diabetes and bronchial asthma, show this."

Physical inefficiency often results from unjustified sports restrictions

According to the experts, physical inactivity in children with such disorders is often the result of unjustified sports restriction and not the disease itself.

"Physical training could fix this. Sport bans, on the other hand, increase the impact of chronically ill children and impair their motor and socially integrative development ", explained Dr. med. Eyermann.

"Pediatricians should carry out regular sports medical health checks in order to assess the individual resilience and suitability for sports and to avoid unnecessary hazards," said the physician.

"In the case of sports exemptions, only partial exemptions should be made according to the motto: as much sport as possible and only as many restrictions as necessary."

Exercise and sports as an essential treatment principle

Important organizational requirements for such an approach, according to the expert: The medical certificate should be practicable sport pedagogy.

Physical education teachers should be specially trained in child prevention and rehabilitation sports, general first aid and special disease-related assistance.

In addition, they should pass on the basics of help with sports incidents with chronically ill children to classmates.

"Pediatric sports medicine in prevention and rehabilitation should become even more integrated into pediatric and adolescent medicine as an interdisciplinary paediatrics and rehabilitation research for chronically ill children. Eyermann.

"It's not just about having chronically ill children participate in sports, but to use exercise and exercise as an essential treatment principle adequately targeted in the treatment regimen." (Ad)