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Keeping Your Young Athlete Safe and Healthy

By Jennifer Green August 27, 2016

The first school bell has rung and your kids are now filling their days with homework, after school clubs and sports! Did you know that more kids are competing in sports now? And with more kids playing sports, the number of injuries is also on the rise. In 2013, USA Today found that 1.35 million kids a year suffer a serious injury that’s related to sports. The highest number of injuries was reported for kids participating in football and basketball. Click here for more. 

 

So how do you keep your child healthy and injury-free this year?

 

  • The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that your child get one rest day a week (at a minimum), and one month off per year. Just as it is for adults, their bodies need time to recover.

 

  • Ensure your child has the proper equipment and gear. This is especially true for contact sports like football. Make sure their gear fits properly, but remind your child that just because they’ve got a helmet on doesn’t mean they can’t still get hurt.

 

  • Make sure their practices involve enough strengthening and flexibility exercises. Practices should also include instruction on using the correct technique.

 

  • Your child should be given enough time during games and practice to take a break. This can keep injuries in check and prevent heat-related illness.

 

  • If your child is injured during a game or practice, they should immediately stop playing and be evaluated. A growing child is susceptible to apophysitis, which is inflammation at the growth plate where muscles and tendons meet.

 

  • Make sure your child is hydrating enough before, during and after practices and games, and make sure your child is familiar with the signs of heat illness (the CDC has a good run down of symptoms here)

 

  • Keep it fun! If your child takes winning too seriously and has a hard time dealing with losing, maybe it’s time for a talk. Remind them that it’s just a game, and it’s not about winning all the time. The amount of effort they put into their training and their sportsmanship is really what matters most. It’s easy to lose sight of how much fun sports can be if they focus too much on winning and losing. Ask them what they love most about their sport and to keep focused on that when things get tough.

 

With a little common sense and guidance from you, your child can have a safe and fun school year playing the sport (s) they love the most!