Sports Injuries: Playing It Safe

Believe it or not, sports injuries are the second leading cause of emergency room visits for children and adolescents, and the second leading cause of injuries in school. Millions of children are seen in hospital emergency rooms for sports-related injuries, and even more, are seen by their primary care physician or a sports medicine clinic for injuries. This is attributable to the fact that young athletes often begin their competitive sports careers as early as age seven, with some youth participating in organized sports activities as early as age four.

A child can endure many different injuries when playing a sport and understanding how to prevent them is crucial to your child’s longevity. Our country’s obsession with sports—football, basketball, and baseball being the most popular, plays a major role in why kids start playing them so young. Even though sports teach many great life lessons such as accountability, being a team player, and hard work, there are still a plethora of injuries your child may face, which is why it’s so important to be as informed as you can.

How Do Sports Injuries Happen?

The first step toward preventing sports-related injuries is understanding how they happen. There are plenty of reasons why they occur, but the most popular reasons are due to poor equipment and technique, overuse, lack of instruction, or simply bad luck! Of course, you can’t anticipate every injury, and some are simply unavoidable, however, your child can reduce their risk of hurting themselves by practicing safe methods of playing.

Which Young Athletes Are Most At-Risk?

Injuries can happen anywhere there are bodies in motion. However, some youth sports involve a higher degree of impact than others, including football, rugby, and hockey. Basketball, and soccer. These sports require athletes to run fast, tackle, and sometimes even collide straight into one another. From the outside looking in, this is a recipe for disaster, but sports require great strength and at times violence which makes it all the more important to be as safe as possible.

The truth is no sport or activity is 100% safe. And beyond the ice, injuries can also happen at the playground as well as on the surfboard or skatepark. However, with the right equipment, coaching and technique, your kids can still have fun while playing safe!

9 Most Common Sports Injuries in Children

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children have more than 3.5 million sports injuries each year. All sports carry a risk of injury and while there are steps you can take to prevent sports injuries; these common injuries may still occur.

Sports injuries in children can often be treated with Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (RICE). However, sometimes you should see an orthopedic specialist. If your child experiences one of the following injuries and has symptoms that don’t resolve with home treatment, see your healthcare provider.

1. Ankle Sprains

One of the most common sports injuries in children is ankle sprains. Ankle sprains occur when the ligaments that support the ankle stretch and tear. This can happen in sports like basketball, tennis, soccer, and football that require cutting or twisting actions. Ankle sprains cause pain, tenderness, swelling, bruising, and instability of the ankle. Most sprains are minor injuries that heal with the RICE protocol, but sometimes they require treatment by an orthopedic specialist.

2. ACL Tears

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the major ligaments that stabilize the knee joint. It connects the femur to the tibia. An ACL tear can occur due to a blow to the outside of the knee or without impact after a jump or twist.  ACL tears are most common in kids that play basketball, volleyball, tennis, and soccer. An ACL tear causes pain, swelling, and limited movement in the knee.

3. Osgood-Schlatter

Osgood-Schlatter is another type of knee pain that is different from an ACL tear. It is a traction injury (also known as a stretch injury) to a growth plate at the top of the shin bone called an apophysis. The injury is caused by tightness in the muscles coupled with high activity levels. The injury may present with pain and swelling or a bump at the bottom of the knee.

4. Little League Elbow

Little league elbow is caused by repetitive stress to the growth place located on the inside of a child’s elbow, resulting in pain and tenderness. It is common among baseball and softball players in positions such as pitcher, catcher, infielder, and outfielder. It may occur in other sports where repetitive throwing is required.

5. Little League Shoulder

Like little league elbow, only it affects the shoulder and is caused by repetitive stress or micro trauma to the shoulder growth plate. This condition most commonly occurs among children between 11 and 14. As the name suggests, it is common in softball and baseball pitchers, but it can also occur in swimmers and tennis players.

6. Shin Splints

Shin splints are common sports injuries in children that participate in sports that require repeated running on a hard surface. They can also be caused by overtraining at the beginning of the season without proper conditioning. Shin splints cause pain and discomfort in the front of the lower legs (the shins).

7. Spondylolysis

Spondylolysis is a stress fracture to the lumbar spine. A stress fracture occurs when a bone breaks after experiencing repeated stress from tension or compression. This injury usually occurs in the low back. It is most commonly seen in young athletes that participate in sports like gymnastics, tennis, rowing, weightlifter, and track and field.

8. Turf Toe

Turf toe is the hyperextension of the big toe. It occurs when a young athlete pushes off the ground forcefully with the big toe being forced upward. The main symptom of these sports injuries in children is pain, but swelling may also be present.

9. Concussion

Unfortunately, concussions are not uncommon sports injuries in children. They can occur in many sports as the result of a direct blow to the head. After such a direct hit, the child should be monitored for symptoms like headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, or confusion. While the treatment for most concussions is rest, all concussions should still be evaluated by a medical professional so they can recommend the proper treatment.

Helping Young Athletes Avoid Injuries

So, your child loves sports, all sports, and you are terrified that they are going to injure themselves. Rest assured, there are plenty of preventative measures you can take to ensure your child will be safe!

Safe Habits

As your child learns about safe play, reinforce the good habits they’re discovering such as wearing proper safety equipment, following the rules, and getting adequate rest for their growing bodies. Talk to them about why those habits are important. Encourage them to make healthy habits a part of their daily life. The more support your child receives from their loved ones, the more they’ll feel motivated to do the right thing for their own health and wellness.

Talk To Your Child’s Coach

By communicating with your son or daughter’s coach, you can get a better idea of what your child is learning when it comes to technique and training methods. When you know what’s being taught in practice and on the field, you can help support healthy directions and be aware of common misconceptions that might be dangerous and lead to injury.

Warm-up & Cool Down

For both parents and coaches, mimicking good habits start with you. Whenever you participate in physical activities with your child, that being a pick-up game of basketball or a sprint around the neighborhood, teach your child the importance of warming up, cooling down, and proper stretching to avoid injury.

Overuse

When the competitive drive takes hold, your child might start going all-out on exercising and practicing. It’s important to keep tabs to make sure that your kid’s workouts stay safe and reasonable. Healthcare professionals recommend at least one rest day per week and three months off from a sport each year. Talk to your child about the advantages of balance and control that can lead to physical and mental health setbacks.

Pay Attention to Mental Health

Physical activity can greatly improve your child’s mental health, as long as it’s done in a safe and balanced approach. But watch out for issues like stress. The anxiety of an intensely competitive environment can negatively impact your child both on and off the court. You as the parent should provide healthy support and encouragement as well as understanding and guidance when times are rough.

What Should Be Done?

Early recognition and treatment of injuries are key in returning athletes to their sport safely and promptly. Any injury that involves swelling, deformity, and/or loss of normal function should be seen by a physician immediately while all other injuries that appear to be minor should resolve themselves within a few days. With that being said, if the injury does not heal on its own, and your child is not back to full participation without pain, it is best to have him/her evaluated by a medical professional. Lingering injuries that go untreated can turn into chronic problems that require a much longer time away from the sport to allow the injury to heal properly.

Afterthought

Even though there are many injuries your child can sustain while playing their favorite sport, the risk-reward factor is worth it. Your child will build life-long relationships and skills that will teach them the ever-important value of teamwork and competition. Sports are an amazing way for kids to mature and prepare themselves for the real world, but if they do find themselves with a sports-related injury, Chai Care will always have your back!

* Legal disclaimer: The content of this article and the entire Chai Care blog is for educational purposes only; it does NOT constitute medical advice and must not be considered as such. Please consult a medical professional regarding any symptoms or health concerns you or your loved ones.

Childhood Vaccinations: Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

We are blessed to live in a world that has dozens of options for us to heal and rejuvenate ourselves—vaccines being the most important. Thanks to all the doctors and scientists of the world, we now don’t have to be frightened of getting sick, however, when talking about children, vaccinations are that much more important because of their ability to prevent certain illnesses before they ever happen. There are cases where babies are born with protection against some diseases because their mothers pass antibodies (proteins made by the body to fight disease) to them before birth, but getting your child vaccinated is still crucial to their overall health.

Immunization

Immunization (vaccination) is a way to create immunity to some diseases. Sometimes this is done by using small amounts of a killed or weakened germ that causes the disease. Other times the vaccine is simply a small piece of the germ, such as a protein or a piece of its genetic material.

Germs can be viruses (such as the measles virus) or bacteria (such as pneumococcus). Vaccines stimulate the immune system to react as if there were a real infection. It fends off the “infection” and remembers the germ. Then, it can fight the germ if it enters the body later.

Why Childhood Immunizations Are Important

For good reason, childhood vaccines can seem overwhelming when you are a new parent. Vaccine schedules recommended by agencies and organizations, such as the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians cover just about 14 different diseases. These vaccinations not only protect your child from deadly diseases, such as polio, tetanus, and diphtheria, but they also keep children safe by significantly decreasing harmful diseases that used to spread from child to child.

It’s important to know that vaccines are dead, weakened versions, or part of the germ that causes the disease in question. When children are exposed to a disease in vaccine form, their immune system, which is the body’s germ-fighting machine, can build antibodies that protect them from contracting the disease when they are exposed to the actual disease. However, over the years, vaccines have generated some controversy over safety, but no convincing evidence of harm has been found. And although children can react to any vaccine, the important thing to know is that the benefits of vaccinations far outweigh the possible side effects.

Tracking Immunizations

In most cases, a child gets vaccinated between birth and 6 years. Typically, vaccines are given more than once, at different ages, and in combinations. This means that you should keep a careful record of your child’s shots. Although your healthcare provider will also keep track, people change physicians, records get lost, and the person ultimately responsible for keeping track of your child’s immunizations is you!

Ask your child’s healthcare provider for an immunization record form. This form is incredibly important and every parent should keep it with their other essential documents. Also, you can download an easy-to-read immunization schedule and record form at the CDC website.

Even though most parents and providers do a great job of keeping up with immunizations, studies show that about one-fourth of preschool children are missing at least one routine vaccination, which is important to know because most states will not let your child begin school without a complete immunization record. Sometimes a vaccination is missed when a child is sick, but no matter what the reason, it’s important to make up missed immunizations.

If your child has missed a vaccination shot, you don’t have to go back and start over as the previous immunizations are still good. Your doctor will just resume the immunization schedule, and if for any reason, your child receives additional doses of a vaccine, you shouldn’t sweat it as your child will still need any future doses according to the recommended schedule.

How Many Shots Do Children Need?

Although vaccines are combined to reduce the number of shots needed, the list is still long. So, to give an easy breakdown here is a typical immunization schedule recommended by age 2.

One vaccination for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR).

Four vaccinations for influenza, a common upper respiratory infection that can also cause meningitis.

Three to four polio vaccinations (IPV).

Four vaccinations for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DPT).

Three vaccinations for hepatitis B.

One vaccination for varicella (chickenpox) no earlier than age 12 months and only if your child does not develop chickenpox on his or her own (must be verified by a health care provider).

Three vaccinations for rotavirus, a type of infection that causes severe diarrhea.

Four vaccinations for pneumococcal disease, a common cause of ear infections and pneumonia.

From age 4 to 6, your child will need booster shots for DPT, IPV, MMR, and chickenpox. Children should also start receiving a yearly flu shot after the age of 6 months. A vaccination for hepatitis A is recommended for all children. This is a lot to keep track of and why you need an immunization records form.

Vaccine Concerns

There are some parents who may hesitate to have their kids vaccinated. The concern is that their child might have a serious reaction or get the illness the vaccine prevents, but the components of vaccines are weakened or killed and in some cases, only parts of the germ are used. Thus, making them unlikely to cause any serious illness. Some vaccines indeed cause mild reactions, such as soreness where the shot was given or a fever however, serious reactions are rare. The truth is that the risks of vaccinations are small compared with the health risks of the diseases they’re intended to prevent.

Afterthought

At the end of the day, immunizations are one of the best ways to protect your family from contagious diseases. Vaccinations have allowed us to live more freely and be less frightened of all the illnesses our unforgiving world has to offer, and luckily, the friendly staff at Chai Care will always be here to give your child the medicine they need to live a beautiful life.

* Legal disclaimer: The content of this article and the entire Chai Care blog is for educational purposes only; it does NOT constitute medical advice and must not be considered as such. Please consult a medical professional regarding any symptoms or health concerns you or your loved ones.

Ear Infections: Protecting Your Child & Keeping Them Safe

Among the most common injuries a young child can face, ear infections are smack in the middle. They cause extreme discomfort for anyone who has had the misfortune of enduring them and even an adult will tell you how truly irritating they are. Sadly, kids get them regularly for several reasons, but as a person gets older, ear infections tend to happen less frequently. Besides knowing the signs and symptoms of this nasty infection, it’s important to know exactly how they start and why they occur, so you can greatly reduce the odds of your child ever having one!

What is an ear infection?

Chances are you will hear the commonly used term “ear infection”. In the medical world, it is referred to as acute otitis media or a sudden infection in the middle ear (the space behind the eardrum). The truth is anyone can get an ear infection, however, they are one of the most common reasons young children visit healthcare providers.

In many cases, ear infections clear up on their own. Your healthcare provider may recommend a medication to relieve pain and if it has worsened or not improved, your healthcare provider may prescribe an antibiotic. In children younger than the age of two years, an antibiotic is usually needed for ear infections.

It’s important to see your healthcare provider to make sure the ear infection has healed or if your child has ongoing pain or discomfort. Hearing problems and other serious effects can occur with ongoing ear infections, frequent infections, and when fluid builds up behind the eardrum.

What causes an ear infection?

Essentially, ear infections are caused by bacteria and viruses. Many times, they begin after a cold or other respiratory infection. The bacteria or virus will travel into the middle ear through the eustachian tube, and the bacteria will plant its nasty self and take control. This tube connects the middle ear to the back of the throat. The bacteria or virus can also cause the eustachian tube to swell, thus making the tube so swollen that it will become blocked. This will cause the normally produced fluids to build up in the middle ear instead of being able to be drained away.

Another issue is that the eustachian tube is shorter and has less of a slope in children than in adults. This physical difference makes these tubes easier to become clogged and more difficult to drain. The trapped fluid can become infected by a virus or bacteria, causing pain, which is why children are more susceptible to ear infections.

Where is the Middle Ear?

We have been using the term “middle ear” quite a bit and if you’re wondering why it is because it’s rather important to know. The middle ear is behind the eardrum and is also home to the delicate bones that aid in hearing. These bones are the hammer, anvil, and stirrup. This is also where the infection will take hold and live during its duration of time. In addition to the middle, there are also the outer and inner parts of the ear. The outer ear is the outside external ear flap and the ear canal, and the inner ear contains the snail-shaped labyrinth that converts sound vibrations received from the middle ear to electrical signals. The auditory nerve carries these signals to the brain.

Even though the infection will reside in the middle part of the ear, understanding the body part in its entirety can help your child when they tell you where they feel the pain and exactly what they’re going through. Some children will become so vexed by the irritation that they will struggle with articulating exactly how they feel so it’s best to be aware as much as you can.

What Are the Symptoms of An Ear Infection?

There are plenty of symptoms to look out for and your child will tell you all about them. The most obvious is ear pain. This symptom is obvious in older children and adults, but in infants and children too young to speak, look for signs of pain like rubbing or tugging ears, crying more than usual, trouble sleeping, and acting fussy/irritable. Other signs to watch out for would be loss of appetite, irritability, poor sleep, fever, drainage from the ear, and trouble hearing.

Who is Most Likely to Get an Ear Infection?

Ear infections are the most common childhood illness other than a cold. They occur most often in children who are between ages 3 months and 3 years and are common until age 8. Some 25% of all children will have repeated ear infections. Adults can get ear infections too, but they don’t happen nearly as often as they do in children.

It is also important to note that people with certain allergies, chronic illnesses, and even your ethnicity can affect how often your child gets an ear infection. It’s important to know your family’s medical history so you can provide your child’s healthcare provider with the proper information that can prevent any potential threats.

How is an Ear Infection Diagnosed?

Ear exam

Your healthcare provider will look at your or your child’s ear using an instrument called an otoscope. A healthy eardrum will be pinkish-gray in color and translucent. If an infection is present, the eardrum may be inflamed, swollen, or red.

Your physician may also check the fluid in the middle ear using a pneumatic otoscope, which blows a small amount of air at the eardrum. This should cause the eardrum to move back and forth. The eardrum will not move as easily if there is fluid inside the ear.

Another test they may perform is called tympanometry. This uses air pressure to check for fluid in the middle ear. This test doesn’t test hearing. If needed, your healthcare provider will order a hearing test, performed by an audiologist, to determine possible hearing loss if you or your child has had long-lasting or frequent ear infections or fluid in the middle ears that are not draining.

Other checks

Your healthcare provider will also check your throat and nasal passage and listen to your breathing with a stethoscope for signs of upper respiratory infections.

How is an Ear Infection Treated?

Treatment of ear infections depends on age, the severity of the infection, the nature of the infection, and if fluid remains in the middle ear for a long period. Your healthcare provider will recommend certain medications to relieve your child’s pain and fever. If the ear infection is mild, depending on the age of the child, your healthcare provider may choose to wait a few days to see if the infection goes away on its own before prescribing an antibiotic.

Antibiotics may be prescribed if bacteria are thought to be the cause of your child’s ear infection. Then, your provider may want to wait up to three days before prescribing antibiotics to see if a mild infection clears up on its own when the child is older. If your or your child’s ear infection is severe, antibiotics might be started right away.

Afterthought

Even though the chances of your child experiencing an ear infection are extremely high, this shouldn’t be of much concern if you act quickly and are knowledgeable of your family’s health history. Chances are the infection won’t last very long and as your youngster ages, it will soon become a bad memory. Even though there are many over-the-counter drugs and at-home remedies you can use to help heal your child, the healthcare experts at Chai Care will happily take a look as they supply their expert knowledge and quality care!

* Legal disclaimer: The content of this article and the entire Chai Care blog is for educational purposes only; it does NOT constitute medical advice and must not be considered as such. Please consult a medical professional regarding any symptoms or health concerns you or your loved ones.

Staying Informed on Your Child’s Head Trauma

Out of every injury a child can get, head trauma is considered to be the scariest. They can lead to all sorts of issues, especially later in life, which is why it is paramount to be as informed as humanly possible. The truth is head injuries can happen from many things, not just direct blows to the head or contact sports which is why understanding the signs and symptoms of them are even more crucial to be aware of.

What Are Head Injuries?

Unfortunately, head trauma is common in children and teens. They can hurt the scalp, skull, brain, or blood vessels. They can be as mild as a bump on the head, or more serious, like a concussion. In kids, most are mild and don’t injure the brain. A head injury is a broad term that describes an extensive array of injuries that occur to the scalp, skull, brain, and underlying tissue and blood vessels in the child’s head. Head injuries are also commonly referred to as brain injury, or traumatic brain injury, depending on the extent of the head trauma.

Causes & Types of Head Injuries

In most cases, head injuries in childhood are due to falls and slips, however, they can also occur from car crashes, bike accidents, sports injuries, and child abuse. These are the most common methods, but the truth is there are many other ways your child may sustain head trauma.

Essentially there are two different types of head injuries: external and involving the scalp and internal involving the skull, brain, or blood vessels.

It’s also important to know that injuries can potentially cause a concussion, contusion, fracture, or bleeding. If this does happen, you should bring your child to their healthcare provider immediately for further observation.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of a Head Injury?

The list can be very long for the signs of a head injury depending on the severity of your child’s injury but the most important symptoms to look out for would be a swollen scalp, headache, loss of conciseness (in serious cases), confusion, irritability, ringing in the ear and fatigue. Again, head injuries can be complicated and even discrete which is why if you fear your child may be experiencing one, you should take them to their healthcare provider for a professional opinion.

How Are Head Injuries Diagnosed?

Healthcare providers diagnose head injuries by asking questions about how the injury happened and doing a careful examination of the head and checking to see how the nerves are working. Most children with a mild brain injury don’t need medical tests, however, providers will often do a CAT scan of the head if the injury is more serious. In this case, your child may need to get blood tested, X-rayed, or receive an MRI.

What Should I Do When a Child Has a Head Injury?

You should contact your health care provider immediately if your child had a head injury is an infant, has lost consciousness, even for a moment, wines of head and neck pain (younger children who aren’t talking yet may be fussier), vomits more than one time, won’t awaken easily, becomes hard to comfort, or isn’t walking or talking normally.

If your child is not an infant, has not lost consciousness, and is attentive and behaving regularly after the fall or blow, put an ice pack or instant cold pack on the injured area for 20 minutes every 3–4 hours. If you use ice, always wrap it in a washcloth or sock. Ice placed right on bare skin can injure it. Watch your child carefully for the next 24 hours. If the injury happens close to bedtime or naptime and your child falls asleep soon afterward, check in a few times while they sleep. If your child’s skin color and breathing are normal, and you don’t sense a problem, let your child sleep unless the doctor tells you otherwise. There’s no need to keep a child awake after a head injury. It’s also important to trust your gut. If you think your child doesn’t seem to be acting like they normally do, partly awaken your child by sitting them up. They should fuss a bit and attempt to resettle. If your child still seems very drowsy, try to awaken them fully. If you can’t wake your child, call your healthcare provider or 911 for an ambulance.

Can Head Injuries Be Prevented?

The hard truth is that you can’t protect your child from every injury, but you can help prevent head trauma with precautions and by teaching them how to play safely. Your child should always wear a bike helmet that fits well and use the proper sports equipment for inline skating, skateboarding, snowboarding, skiing, and contact sports. Make sure they wear a safety seat or seatbelt every time they’re in the car and if they do sustain a head injury, wait until their healthcare provider says it’s OK before returning to rough play or sports. If the brain gets injured again while it’s still healing, it will take even longer to completely heal.

Afterthought

Head Trauma is a scary injury that no parent wishes to see their child suffer from. This is why by understanding the signs and symptoms of them and teaching your child how to safely play, you greatly reduce the risk of your child sustaining any sort of head injury. It’s an unfortunate part of life that we all get banged up every now and again but the team of dedicated staff members at Chai Care will always make sure to be here if your child ever needs a helping hand!

* Legal disclaimer: The content of this article and the entire Chai Care blog is for educational purposes only; it does NOT constitute medical advice and must not be considered as such. Please consult a medical professional regarding any symptoms or health concerns you or your loved ones.