WebMD Medical News Louise Chang, MD Jan. 12, 2009 -- Children
with chronic diseases often don't see themselves as too sick to
take part in physical activity, and that's good, a new study
shows. What's more, children who feel good about themselves
appear to be influenced by positive attitudes of their parents,
Australian researchers say. Their study is published in the
January edition of BMC Pediatrics. Few children in the study
mentioned any negative impact of their conditions, which
included asthma, type 1 diabetes, and cystic fibrosis, on their
physical activities. The youngsters' positive beliefs were
shared by their parents. This influenced how much the children
participated in physical activities, the study shows. The
parents and their children were interviewed separately. The
researchers suggest that the upbeat attitudes of the youngsters
and their parents could make it more likely for youths with
chronic problems to grow into healthy adults. Two "overarching"
themes emerged from the study: The research