1 Mar 2007
We would all love to think of our kids' time in school as being healthy. After all, children spend thousands of hours in classrooms, gyms, lunch rooms, labs and study halls.
Recently, however, scientific information on what children are actually exposed to in school argues for increased outdoor time. "Sick school syndrome" is described by health professionals as a non-specific illness in children evidenced by them feeling poorly on school days and better on weekends. The syndrome is due to environmental factors including allergens, poor indoor air quality, pesticides, paints, cleaners and solvents and lack of oxygen.
The Healthy Schools Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to cleaning up our schools but they also need some "greening up." School children need more time outdoors exercising in clean fresh air. In its archives, WebMD has a good article on the subject:
Is School Making Your Child Sick?
