Let me know your ideas for making heavy backpacks lighter!
COLLINS: We're talking back to school. New backpacks and a clean slate and fresh start for your kids' health. CNN's Elizabeth Cohen is here with a back-to-school checklist.
You know there really is a lot to think about, not just for the kids but for the parents, too, when you're talking about a new school year.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. So many things, what are they going to eat. How much sleeping they're getting. We'll focus today on backpacks because when you go shopping there are some things you should really look for and people don't realize that thousands of kids have back injuries because of their backpacks. COLLINS: If you take a look at them they are absolutely huge and stuffed to the gills it seems!
COHEN: Exactly. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons say there are so many injuries what you want to remember is the backpack should weigh no more than 20 percent of what your child weighs.
COLLINS: Ah, OK.
COHEN: Let's say you have a ninth grader who weighs a 100 pounds the backpack should weigh no more than 20 pounds. So that's sort of a rule of thumb to go by.
COLLINS: As I look at these backpacks here. I mean, how do you know which one is the best one for your child? And how do you know they're not overstuffing them? Where do we start with choosing one?
COHEN: We'll start with two beautiful children right here!
COLLINS: Look at that. They are beautiful.
COHEN: I am biased. I am their mother. These are my two daughters, Taub (ph) and Mary. They are here to demonstrate backpack dos and don'ts. Because there is a very specific thing you should look for. Taub, my older daughter, Taub turn around so everybody can see.
You'll see this backpack rests sort of at her hips. You can see her rear-end. That's a good thing. You should be able to see it. It shouldn't be dragging.
Now, Mary, you turn around. Mary is a backpack don't! You see how that sags? It is too big for her!
COLLINS: It looks like it would hurt your shoulders immediately. What are the alternatives? You see some of these roller ones. A lot of them, kids are going with those now. Is that true?
COHEN: Right.
COLLINS: It looks safer, anyway.
COHEN: It is. I've heard some kids say they are a little bit -- nerdy.
COLLINS: Really?
COHEN: But they're much better.
COLLINS: Why?
COHEN: I don't know.
COLLINS: It looks like luggage.
COHEN: It looks like luggage, I guess. But you can drag these around. Here's another example, pink for girls. That can be an alternative.
COLLINS: These can also be regular old backpacks if you want?
COHEN: Right, you can switch them out.
COLLINS: Mary, do you think the rolling ones are kind of geeky? Or could you make them cool? Especially if you had a pink one like that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think they're not geeky at all.
COLLINS: Good!
COHEN: Good.
COLLINS: Mom is saying right answer!
COHEN: Good job.
These are actually their backpacks. These are ones that we bought as props. I think maybe -- I'll borrow these, and use them for real.
COLLINS: Yes, definitely. You can start the trend and make sure that everybody else knows they're not geeky.
Thanks so much, CNN's Elizabeth Cohen, and children. Thanks so much, guys.
You know there really is a lot to think about, not just for the kids but for the parents, too, when you're talking about a new school year.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. So many things, what are they going to eat. How much sleeping they're getting. We'll focus today on backpacks because when you go shopping there are some things you should really look for and people don't realize that thousands of kids have back injuries because of their backpacks. COLLINS: If you take a look at them they are absolutely huge and stuffed to the gills it seems!
COHEN: Exactly. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons say there are so many injuries what you want to remember is the backpack should weigh no more than 20 percent of what your child weighs.
COLLINS: Ah, OK.
COHEN: Let's say you have a ninth grader who weighs a 100 pounds the backpack should weigh no more than 20 pounds. So that's sort of a rule of thumb to go by.
COLLINS: As I look at these backpacks here. I mean, how do you know which one is the best one for your child? And how do you know they're not overstuffing them? Where do we start with choosing one?
COHEN: We'll start with two beautiful children right here!
COLLINS: Look at that. They are beautiful.
COHEN: I am biased. I am their mother. These are my two daughters, Taub (ph) and Mary. They are here to demonstrate backpack dos and don'ts. Because there is a very specific thing you should look for. Taub, my older daughter, Taub turn around so everybody can see.
You'll see this backpack rests sort of at her hips. You can see her rear-end. That's a good thing. You should be able to see it. It shouldn't be dragging.
Now, Mary, you turn around. Mary is a backpack don't! You see how that sags? It is too big for her!
COLLINS: It looks like it would hurt your shoulders immediately. What are the alternatives? You see some of these roller ones. A lot of them, kids are going with those now. Is that true?
COHEN: Right.
COLLINS: It looks safer, anyway.
COHEN: It is. I've heard some kids say they are a little bit -- nerdy.
COLLINS: Really?
COHEN: But they're much better.
COLLINS: Why?
COHEN: I don't know.
COLLINS: It looks like luggage.
COHEN: It looks like luggage, I guess. But you can drag these around. Here's another example, pink for girls. That can be an alternative.
COLLINS: These can also be regular old backpacks if you want?
COHEN: Right, you can switch them out.
COLLINS: Mary, do you think the rolling ones are kind of geeky? Or could you make them cool? Especially if you had a pink one like that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think they're not geeky at all.
COLLINS: Good!
COHEN: Good.
COLLINS: Mom is saying right answer!
COHEN: Good job.
These are actually their backpacks. These are ones that we bought as props. I think maybe -- I'll borrow these, and use them for real.
COLLINS: Yes, definitely. You can start the trend and make sure that everybody else knows they're not geeky.
Thanks so much, CNN's Elizabeth Cohen, and children. Thanks so much, guys.
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