Sit Right, Study Hard

By EMILY MITCHELL

The Clinton Administration's noble goal of getting every public school online by 2001 has a downside risk. Up to 70% of the nation's 30 million schoolchildren are being given access to computers, but little attention is being paid to the kinds of equipment, including desks and keyboard rests, they are using--and to the potential for injury or even permanent damage. A Cornell University study of elementary schoolchildren found that about 40% of them were in danger of developing serious posture problems and the other 60% had conditions that were cause for concern. Says Professor Alan Hedge, who heads the university's ergonomics program and is co-author of the study: "It has become clear that nobody has really given any thought to the physical implications of what could happen if you did put a computer on every child's desk."

Paul Cornell, an ergonomist with Steelcase, Inc., transformed the unfinished basement in their Grand Rapids, Mich., home into an attractive computer workspace to keep his three children--Emily, 15; Katie, 13; and Max, 10--out of harm's way, at least at home. Here are some of the essential guidelines he incorporated into his design to make it comfortable and ergonomically correct for the whole family:

1 For the correct horizontal line of sight, the monitor's top should be at or below the eyes. The wooden work surface in the Cornell home is fixed at 28 in., but an adjustable chair allows each child to sit at the correct height.

2 In schools, kids often have to balance work materials on their lap. Paul Cornell created a surface with room to spread out books and papers.

3 For children as well as for adults, the right posture is crucial. The chair Cornell bought for his family has an adjustable back, arms and seat. This keeps everyone sitting correctly and fully supported.

4 A wristpad helps alleviate stress and makes it easier to keep elbows and forearms as close as possible to parallel with the floor.

5 Instead of a mouse, Cornell decided on a trackball, which is easier on small wrists.

6 Legs shouldn't dangle. They need to be at right angles with the feet, which are planted firmly on the floor. If necessary, a box or some other flat object can be used.

7 Eyestrain can result from working for long periods without proper lighting. For the Cornell family, natural light comes through a window during the day, and a combination of indirect fluorescent lights and dimmer-controlled direct lighting provides even illumination at night.

FOR HEALTHY COMPUTING Cornell University's Professor Hedge has three tips for parents:

--Take careful notice of each child's posture, and be prepared to change or rearrange furniture if necessary.

--Encourage children to be aware of any signs of physical discomfort or pain.

--Monitor their time in front of the computer, and make sure they take frequent breaks.

--Reported by Erica Bray/New York and Marc Hequet/St. Paul

With reporting by Erica Bray/New York and Marc Hequet/St. Paul