"One of the biggest ways to alleviate the impact of poverty is literacy," said Dr. Jean Clinton, a child psychiatrist and assistant clinical professor at McMaster University, and member of the symposium's scientific advisory group.
She says combining literacy with physical activity gives a big boost to children who experience poverty and often live in stressful environments, which makes concentrating in school difficult.
"Exercise plays a strong role in decreasing stress," she said, adding that research has shown children who participate in such programs have shown marked improvements in their reading and writing scores.
But Clinton said engaging children this way does more than improve grades.
"It's not an improvement in IQ, it's an improvement in social and emotional well-being," she said, which is important because "it's not being poor that makes you sick, it's feeling poor."
"Exercise plays a strong role in decreasing stress," she said, adding that research has shown children who participate in such programs have shown marked improvements in their reading and writing scores.
Run4Change
A 2.5-kilometre walk or 5 km fun run to raise funds for Canadian children living below the poverty line.
Wednesday, May 16, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bayfront Park, 709 Simcoe St. W.
Hosted by Start2Finish, with more than 2,000 student participants from the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board.
For information, visit: www.run4change.net.
http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/724519--it-s-not-just-the-taking-it-s-the-giving
