[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 18629-18630]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 NATIONAL SCHOOL BACKPACK AWARENESS DAY

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I rise in recognition of the fifth 
annual National School Backpack Awareness Day, September 20, 2006. 
Today, the American Occupational Therapy Association, AOTA, in 
collaboration with more than 350 occupational therapy practitioners 
across the country will be educating thousands of children and their 
families about how to stay healthy and succeed in school, especially 
how to prevent backpack related injuries. These organizations are 
taking real steps towards protecting our children during their most 
formative years.
  Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants play an 
incredibly important role in our local communities. Occupational 
therapy practitioners work directly with students, parents, and 
teachers to modify educational environments so that all students can 
achieve academic success. They often develop plans to improve function 
and productivity, so as to maximize independence within the academic 
environment. Their knowledge about how children can stay healthy and 
succeed in school is invaluable. Today's effort to protect them from 
backpack injuries is much needed, and I know it will have a positive 
impact on thousands of families.
  Many children enjoy picking out a backpack at the start of the school 
year, usually based on a certain color or design, but if worn 
incorrectly or if too heavy, there is a serious potential for injury. 
In light of this concern, today at schools, stores, hospitals, and 
shopping malls all over the Nation, children's backpacks will be 
``weighed-in.'' This will ensure that children are not carrying more 
than 15 percent of their bodyweight on their back. According to U.S. 
and international studies, children using overloaded and improperly 
worn backpacks experience neck, shoulder and back pain. Furthermore, 
children wearing backpacks improperly suffer from compromised breathing 
and increased fatigue at significantly higher rates than students 
wearing their backpacks properly and with appropriate loads. In our 
great State of New Jersey, these ``weigh-ins'' are being conducted at 
nine locations throughout the State. By the end of the day, children 
all over America will be healthier and equipped with information about 
how to properly load and carry a backpack.
  National School Backpack Awareness Day is a prime example of how 
occupational therapy works within our schools and communities to 
promote wellness and improve quality of life. I know today will be a 
success and ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating September 20, 
2006, as National School Backpack Awareness Day.

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