DR. WALLACE: My little brother is 6 years old and he's suffering from a few learning impediments and other moderate mental issues. He's a good boy, and he does pretty well overall, but he does have some limitations and challenges.

I'm his older sister and I'm in high school, and the mother of one of my best friends told me that exercise could be especially helpful for a child such as my little brother. Could this be true? I thought all of his treatments would be done at medical centers and doctor's offices. — His Concerned Sister, via email

HIS CONCERNED SISTER: Your friend's mother is correct, as exercise can be helpful overall for many childhood maladies, including the ones you've described that your brother is facing.

Of course, he will need all of the other treatments the professionals are providing him, but exercise has its place as a potential tool in his healing as well.

Exercise helps human beings of all ages via the creation of neurons. Exercise helps the elevation of brain proteins, which can boost an individual's mood, improve memory and help the person focus better.

Additionally, exercise can help reduce anxiety and even help children who struggle with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, commonly known as ADHD. Studies have shown that even 15 minutes of exercise in the morning can provide a positive impact to a young child's academic performance.

READING IS NOT MY THING!

DR. WALLACE: How can I learn how to enjoy reading? I've never been a big reader, but a lot of my friends are really into it, and they discuss reading books all of the time.

Not only that, but when I go to college about a year from now, I know I'll have to do a lot more reading, so I'm wondering what's the best way to begin building up my reading skills during my last year in high school? — Reading Is Not My Thing, via email

READING IS NOT MY THING: I suggest you build a habit of reading by first thinking carefully about what topics are the most fun for you in your daily life. What are your hobbies? Are there sports teams or music groups that you enjoy?

If you enjoy hiking, working out or repairing engines on old classic vehicles, there are going to be books, magazines, and online articles about any subject you can think of these days.

Start there. Read for at least a half-hour a day about any subject you enjoy. Slowly build that up to an hour a day and start to shift topics so that you're reading about a few different subjects. Also spread your reading around from newspapers, magazines, websites and so forth. Be sure to pick up a book or two on your favorite topics as well. All of this will help you to become used to reading regularly, and this will really help you when you need to lift your "reading game" once you're in college.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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