Four-year-old Kaung Myat San is growing up in one of Yangon’s many high-rise apartments with nowhere to play. Pic: Hein Latt Aung

LONG gone are the days of chasing siblings in the backyard and kicking a ball around the street for many Yangon kids.

As high rises appear on busy roads around the city, more families are choosing lower housing costs over space to bring up their children.

The cramped living conditions are increasingly becoming a concern among health experts and parents, who say that children today will suffer the consequences tomorrow.

Dr Sao Sai Lon, retired head of the mental health department at the Yangon University of Medicine, said the combination of a cramped living area and television could mean that we will see a vast increase in obesity and poor mental health in the near future.

“Children need wide open spaces to move around in,” said the doctor.
“They need to be given the opportunity to develop their muscles, as well as their creativity.”

The less room a child is given, he said, the less they will be willing to move, which is where the television comes in.

“The idea of a television as an indoor activity for children is great for parents because they don’t need to keep a close watch on their kids,” said Dr Sao Sai Lon.

“But for children, long hours spent sitting in front of a television will affect them both physically and mentally.

"It is not good for a growing body to sit for too long.”

Some of the effects of long hours of sitting in a child aged under 14 includes fatigue, memory loss and stagnation of physical and mental development.

“A child who stays inside for long periods of time will fall behind their peers in educational development. They tend to lack general knowledge and have poor social skills.”

Long-term effects include obesity, hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and depression.

A big part of the problem seems to be the lack of education among parents.
Daw Khin Than Aye, 37, has a four-year-old son, who lives with her in a small flat in Yuzana Garden City building, South Dagon Seikkan township, and fears her son may end up suffering depression.

She said she has bought him a lot of toys to play with inside the apartment but they don’t keep him happy.

“He used to go for a walk with his grandparents in the evening,” she said.
“Now he doesn’t really do anything — he only wants to watch TV.

She takes the time to accompany him to a playground once or twice a month during the dry season.

Housewife Daw Wai Mar Mar San, 33, lives with her two daughters in Yankin township, both of whom spend most of their leisure time in front of the television.

One is 14, the other is 2 years old.

“We don’t get out of the building much,” said Daw Wai Mar Mar San.
“Sometimes we go to the playground if I go shopping. They get sick a lot though.”

“Playing in large open spaces with others is natural for a child,” said Dr Sao Sai Lon, adding that outdoor playtime should last for at least 30 minutes per day.

For families who live in small high-rise apartments, Dr Sao Sai Lon suggested some ways of combating the effects of a cramped lifestyle.

“Parents need to take their children outdoors, preferably to a playground at least twice a week and take them with you whenever you leave the house.”

Fitness instructor and Southeast Asian Body Building Championship titleholder U Khaing Lin also expressed the importance of fitness for a child.
“Running, jumping and playing is vital for a child’s health,” he said.

“If a child lives on a busy street and is unable to access an outdoor area I would suggest they join a gym.”

U Khaing Lin said everyone, no matter what age they are, must exercise at least three times a week, but children should be moving around at least three times a day.

“When children sit around they become numb and lose the motivation to do anything physical,” he said.

“If they do have access to an outdoor area I would suggest playing team sports such as football, volleyball and basketball.”