Hey Mama…
For many families, the fall means football practice, basketball practice, gymnastics, track, dance, or other fill-in-the-blank practice. Our young athletes are busy moving their bodies this time of year!
But that also means our athletes are bound to find themselves with an injury. As a parent, it can be difficult to keep up with, and prevent, all of the possible sports injuries that can occur, let alone know how to handle them if you find yourself in the situation. Thankfully, Texas Emergency Care Center is right here in your neighborhood if your star athlete is hurt.
Kids are still growing and developing, which can limit their coordination and motor function, making sports injuries fairly common. Kids also grow and mature at different rates, so when they play sports with kids with different sizes and skill levels, it can put them in situations that push their body farther than they should go.There’s also the fact that kids are kids, and sometimes they make risky decisions with their sports and activities, which lead to injury.
So how can we help? As mamas, is there anything we can do to avoid the inevitable ER visit from an active child? Well, yes:
- Use proper equipment! — The right shoes, helmets, pads and other protective gear can make a huge difference in preventing sports injuries. Ensuring you’re investing in equipment and gear that is well-made and fits properly can help you avoid things like concussions, broken bones, and torn ligaments.
- Maintain surfaces and playing areas — Having a proper surface to run on, or quality gymnastics equipment to climb on, is a simple and straightforward way to avoid a mishap. Failing to keep up with these areas as they experience wear and tear can be hazardous for the users.
- Have plenty of adult supervision — And not just any adult, but an adult who is trained in the specific sport, and one trained in first aid! Coaches and trainers can notice practices and movements that may cause injury in athletes. And if an injury does happen, an adult trained in first aid will know which can be the key to preventing a minor injury from becoming a major injury.
Even with the best prevention methods, kids who are active still get hurt! And when it comes to the treatment of injuries for kids, we go with a “better safe than sorry” approach. If an injury appears to be affecting any sort of basic functioning, like the bending of a finger, limping, or change in consciousness, a doctor should see your child right away. The physicians and staff at Texas Emergency Care Center are emergency trained and we’re open 24/7/365 if your young athlete needs immediate attention!
We hope this season is full of victory for your athlete, and that your family remains injury-free all year long. We’re cheering you on, mama!
Adapted from this article.