Back to school: How to wear a backpack the right way

Back to school can be a literal pain in the back for your child.

Multiple folders, books, laptops, and tablets in your child’s backpack can put a strain on your child’s spine and muscles.

It’s not just the kind of backpack you buy, but how you wear it that can cause problems, according to Dayton Children’s Hospital physical therapist Mike Breneman.

He recommends a book bag with two padded contoured straps, putting both straps on your shoulders, packing the heaviest items closest to your body, and making sure the bag is snug to your back and not hanging below your waist.

The bag should only weigh about 10 percent of your child’s body weight, and if it’s too heavy, you may want to consider a separate handheld bag for laptops or tablets, he said.

You can watch Breneman's proper fit demonstration with Bowling Green student Makayla Pruitt in the video above.

The simple adjustments made an instant improvement in her comfort.

“I was actually quite surprised because I didn’t think that changing the placement of a textbook would make such a big difference,” Pruitt said.

FluMist a no-no for kids

If your kid doesn’t like shots, this will be bad news for them.

The easy to use nasal spray, FluMist, didn't help children ward off the flu last year, so the CDC is recommending it not be used on children this year.

But there are ways to help your squeamish child brave a needle.

Pacifiers, breastfeeding, and swaddling are recommended for pain control for infants, watching videos and playing with toys can help distract a child from age two to six, and explaining the injection process can help calm and older child, according to Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus.

You also can ask if your doctor uses Buzzy, a vibrating bee-shaped cold pack that distracts from the pain of a shot.

Pokemon Go lures in customers

Some local businesses are using the wildly popular Pokemon Go app to try to catch customers.

Players walk to Pokestops to collect Pokeballs in the game and when one is located near a restaurant or store they can boost business.

By walking around and playing the game, I discovered a sushi burrito restaurant that I never knew existed. (Yes, sushi burritos! Yes, they are delish!)

In Dayton’s Oregon District, Blind Bob’s bartender Josh Goldman says the owners have been paying a fee in the game to put lures on the Pokestop outside of the hotspot - the lures draw wild pokemon to that specific location which means players flock there, too.

“We get all sorts of kids and adults coming in,” Goldman said.

Hick’s Barber Shop owner James Hicks said the game is giving his Oregon District business more exposure.

“I see a lot of foot traffic especially going by the barber shop,” Hicks said, “it brings them in and draws them into places they might not usually go.”

The game is even being credited with saving a Washington State ice cream shop from demise.

Rachel Murray is a WHIO-TV consumer reporter. You can watch her reports on News Center 7, follow her on Twitter @RMurrayWHIO, and like her fan page on Facebook.

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