More Children Are Getting Carpal Tunnel

You’ve got insolence to burn, a full quiver of skateboards, a bellybutton ring, henna tattoos and ... carpal tunnel syndrome?

According to the American Physical Therapy Assn., more and more children and teens are turning up with repetitive stress injuries.

The numbness, the neck pain, the wrist tingling, the aches in the lower back and shoulders--the whole range of tedious, office-worker misery that comes with long hours at the computer is becoming familiar to Generation Y and pre-Y. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. households now have at least one computer, according to government statistics, and most young kids now get regular computer time at school.

Given all that keyboard time, the association reminds that ergonomics tips are no longer just for adults: Kids too should be positioned so that their eyes are level with the screen, their forearms parallel, sitting up straight, with feet flat on the ground.

In addition to encouraging some other familiar habits--taking a break, stretching, periodically looking away from the screen--the association also recommends that parents consider buying a kid-sized mouse. “The larger mouse forces the hand into an awkward position and the muscles become over-stretched and fatigued,” it reports.