This review once again emphasizes the significance of exercise in promoting the health of children who suffer from chronic diseases.
Regular physical activity (PA) is associated with a wide array of health advantages. International guidelines recommend that children should engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity PA each day in order to reap these benefits. However, these guidelines are primarily designed for healthy children and may not be applicable to those with chronic illnesses. Specifically, these guidelines fail to address the appropriate amount of PA and the considerations related to exercise that are tailored to specific diseases, leaving children with limited evidence-based recommendations for PA.
Based on a review of the literature conducted by Sarah L. West’s group at the University of Toronto, Canada, it has been found that regular exercise provides benefits for children with various chronic conditions such as cystic fibrosis, asthma, congenital heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and cancer.
This review focuses on the existing literature regarding exercise as a form of medicine and provides practical suggestions for incorporating exercise into the lives of children with five common chronic conditions: respiratory problems, congenital heart disease, metabolic disorders, systemic inflammatory/autoimmune disorders, and cancer. The review examines the underlying causes of exercise intolerance in each condition, summarizes research on exercise interventions in paediatric patients, and offers practical recommendations for prescribing exercise. The authors stress the importance of individualized exercise programs and the necessity for further research in order to establish evidence-based guidelines for exercise in children with chronic illnesses. The article offers evidence-based recommendations for exercise interventions and underscores the benefits of physical activity for these particular populations.
Source: West, S.L., Banks, L., Schneiderman, J.E. et al. Physical activity for children with chronic disease; a narrative review and practical applications. BMC Pediatr 19, 12 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-018-1377-3
