The new school year is just around the corner; kids are preparing for another year of learning, friendships, and experiences, and mothers are rejoicing everywhere! Whether it’s vocabulary tests, after school clubs, or sports, your kids are going to be kept pretty busy, and you want them to have the best and safest year possible.
The benefits of getting children physically active at a young age are numerous. According to The Aspen Institute, physically active children are 15% more likely to attend college, score up to 40% higher on tests, and are 1/10th as likely to be obese.
Whether this is their first year or their last participating in sports, every child wants to perform the best they can. Every parent wants their child to have a good time while also staying safe so they can keep playing the sports they love now and lead healthier and more successful lives later.
Here are some tips on things to help you keep your athlete safe and have a successful season.
Protective Gear - (mouth-guards, pads, shin guards, face masks, knee braces, etc.)
Getting the right gear is key to minimizing potential for injury, and also minimizing recovery time. The right equipment can help decrease the severity of injury as well. Be sure to review all the things you need to help keep your all-star safe to enjoy the game, and to stay in the game. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This is especially true when it comes to finding and using the right protective gear.
Equipment - gloves, bats, balls, uniform, shoes
Every athlete knows that having equipment to practice with is important to becoming the MVP. Equipment is also what helps them to connect with their team and play the sports they know and love.
Physical
Every child needs to receive a clean bill of health before participating in sports. By getting a sports physical, concerns such as activity-induced asthma, scoliosis, joint pain, heart problems, vision and hearing impairments, etc., can all be caught prior to the sports season, and preventative or aiding measures can be taken to ensure your child is still able to participate.
Concussion Baseline Test
What is a baseline test? Baseline testing is a highly specific questionnaire that is taken prior to getting injured. With this information, individuals can have data to compare to if they get injured later on. Regardless of what sport they are playing, head injuries are always a risk for any type of sport including basketball, football, wrestling, volleyball, lacrosse, soccer and more.
This test measures a few things including processing speed, current symptoms, pain levels, balance, and physical abilities.The starting of a new sport season is the perfect time to get tested.
Why is it important?
When an individual repeats the baseline test after an injury, they may not do as well as they did on the original baseline test.This can indicate a concussion and helps parents make better decisions about when their child should return to play and/or to regular activities such as school.
The baseline test results can also provide insight into what the extent of the injury is, as well as give an indication whether or not further tests or treatment may be needed.
Have Fun and Be Active
Most importantly, encourage your child to have fun and be active.
So many life lessons can be taught through the participation in sports, and they are most easily learned and remembered when kids have the desire to be there. They may not all become world-renowned Olympians, but they all have the chance to be winners in your book. Through sweat, hard work, determination, and teamwork they can be the best version of themselves, and you can help encourage them to do what they love.
Doing what they love should never come at the cost of their personal safety. If your child is experiencing concussion symptoms, schedule a free consultation with us today.
