Tips To Protect Young Athletes Against Serious Injuries
Back to school means many local students will be engaging in a variety of sports. School or community sponsored sports activities provide children with fun and physical, as well as important lessons in teamwork and the potential for scholarship opportunities. However, parents need to be aware of the risks. Sports are one of the most common causes of serious injuries among young people. Our Miami serious injury lawyer offers tips for parents to help protect young athletes.
Alarming Facts About Youth Sports Injuries
According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), accidental injuries are a leading cause of death and disability among young people. Tragically, an average of 33 young people die each due to accidental causes, while over nine million others suffer serious injuries that require emergency medical care. Sports injuries are among the most common causes.
Youth sports injuries can happen in school or recreational programs. While any type of contact sport, such as football, soccer, hockey, or wrestling, is the most dangerous, children can be issued while playing baseball, golf, or while participating in tennis, track, swimming, and other activities. Common types of serious injuries that can happen due to youth sports include:
- Head injuries, such as concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBI);
- Injuries impacting the spinal cord or column;
- Broken bones and displaced joints;
- Soft tissue injuries, such as muscle or tendon sprains and tears
- Deep cuts and lacerations, which can cause permanent scarring.
How To Protect Young Athletes
School-sponsored youth sports programs and community-organized activities provide numerous benefits and children should be encouraged to play if they want to. It can provide a foundation for a lifetime of physical fitness and important lessons on getting along with others.
However, to prevent serious injuries, parents are encouraged to thoroughly vet different programs, monitor their child’s activities, and take certain precautions. Johns Hopkins Medicine offers these tips:
- Meet the coaches, trainers, your child’s teammates, and others involved;
- Provide program administrators with emergency contact information;
- Enquire about helmets, pads, and other standard safety equipment;
- Show up at practices and games and observe the environment your child is playing in and whether they receive adequate training and opportunities to warm up prior to play;
- To prevent serious injuries in Miami due to heat exposure, make sure players have plenty of water and opportunities to take breaks in the shade;
- Make your child aware that pain or other symptoms are warning signs of a potential problem;
- Remove your child from play immediately if an injury is suspected and get them checked by your doctor.
When Serious Injuries Happen, Our Miami Personal Injury Lawyers Are Here To Help
Children can suffer serious injuries as a result of participating in youth sports. Negligence on the part of players, coaches, program administrators, or others involved is often responsible. In this situation, reach out to Pita Weber Del Prado. To get the compensation your child needs to recover, call 305-670-2889 or contact our Miami personal injury lawyers online and request a consultation today.
Sources:
cdc.gov/safechild/fact_sheets/sports-injury-fact-sheet-english-a.pdf
hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/sports-injuries/10-tips-for-preventing-sports-injuries-in-kids-and-teens
