Youth Sports SafetyCampaign

Youth Sports SafetyCampaign

Dr. Angela MickalideDirector of Research and Programs

Safe Kids Worldwide

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Agenda

• Safe Kids USA Overview; Youth Sports Injury Prevention and 2011 Hart Research Associates Findings Dr. Angela Mickalide, MCHES, director of research and programs, Safe Kids Worldwide

• Hydration, Heat Illness and Overuse InjuriesDr. Douglas Casa, ATC, FACSM, FNATA, and chief operating officer with the Korey Stringer Institute, Neag School of Education, Univ. of Connecticut

• Concussion Awareness/PreventionDr. Gerard Gioia, director, Safe Concussion Outcome, Recovery & Education (SCORE) Program, Children’s National Medical Center

• What Can Parents Do? Steve Young, former NFL star and Hall of Fame quarterback

• Q&A

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Safe Kids – Who We Are

Safe Kids Worldwide

• Non-profit organization devoted to the prevention of unintentional injuries to children. 18 member countries

Safe Kids USA

• Outreach/education through 600 Coalitions and Chapters: health and safety experts, educators, corporations, foundations, governments and volunteers

• Research and data collection

• Strengthen laws that empower communities to protect children

• Environmental change and safety devices for those in need

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Youth Sports Injury Facts

3.5 million receive medical treatment for sports-related injury each year• 2 out of 5 child traumatic brain injuries associated with sports and

recreation  

–  Medical costs of sports and recreational injuries to children under age 18 years exceed $11 billion*

– Societal cost: approximately $121 billion** including parents’ work losses, pain and suffering, product liability and legal fees

 

 Sources:  *CPSC 2003, **CPSC Directorate for Economic Analysis 2000

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Public Health Assessment

50 percent of these injuries are likely

preventable!

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Parental Survey 2011: Youth Sports Landscape

• Parental perceptions, March 2011– Hart Research for Safe Kids/Johnson & Johnson

• Organized team sports provide positive experiences for their children:

– Learning teamwork and sportsmanship– Exercising and staying fit– Having fun

• Team sports are intense commitment for many young athletes

– Nearly half (49%) of the parents report that their child participates in two or more team sports

» Up from 40% in 2000– 1 in 5 report their child plays the same sport on more than one team

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Parental Survey 2011: Youth Sports Landscape

• Belief that “injury is just part of the game”

– 86% of parents believe their child’s injury would have happened regardless of better training, conditioning, equipment, etc.

• Troubling gap in prevention knowledge

– Parents say its important for coaches and parents to be knowledgeable and trained

– Little confidence in coaches and their own knowledge and training

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Parental Survey 2011: Youth Sports Landscape

Summary

• Parents value youth sports

• 1 in 3 athletes suffer an injury

• The number of young athletes suffering multiple injuries has increased

• Parents don’t recognize that experts estimate 50% of sports injuries are preventable

• Parents aren’t as knowledgeable and concerned about overuse/stress as concussion and hydration (good news/bad news)

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Take Action

• Safe Kids and Johnson & Johnson 2011 Youth Sports Safety campaign goals:– Knowledge – close the gap for parents and coaches

– Attitudes• Emphasize prevention

• Dispel myth that “injuries are just part of the game”

– Behaviors – changed for coaches, kids and parents

• Actions• More than 100 youth sports safety clinics across U.S.

• National Sports Injury Prevention Expert Webcast

Log on to: safekids.org/sports

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Hydration, Heat Illness and Overuse Injuries in Sports

Dr. Douglas Casa, ATC, FACSM, FNATA Chief Operating Officer with the Korey Stringer Institute

Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut

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Dehydration

• Definition

– Excessive loss of body fluids from sweating, urination, diarrhea and/or vomiting

• Sweating is primary way body dissipates heat during exercise

• Dehydration makes child more susceptible to heat-related illness

• Significant dehydration can be prevented by following a good hydration strategy

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Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration

• Thirst• Dry/sticky mouth• Headache• Muscle cramping• Irritability

• Extreme fatigue• Weakness• Dizziness• Decreased

performance

A child may be dehydrated before signs and symptoms appear; adequate hydration can prevent injury

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Hydration Strategies forParents and Athletes

• Drink fluids (like water) 30 minutes before activity

• Talk to pediatrician for recommendations on fluid intake– General recommendations by AAP are

88 lb. child: 5 oz.;132 lb. child: 9 oz.

• To make up for fluid lost during activity, drink after activity

• Determine amount of dehydration– Weigh child before exercise and after exercise– Replace each ½ lb. lost with 8 oz. of fluid

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Hydration Strategies for Coaches

• Drink fluids every 15-20 minutes during activity– Encourage mandatory water breaks– Water breaks allow young athletes to drink

more and briefly rest– Fluid needs will be based on many factors, but

3 key ones are• Intensity, environmental conditions, size of person

• Adapt exercise for weather conditions – More frequent breaks for hot and/or humid

conditions• If there is fluid lost during activity, increase the

amount taken in during similar activity in the future

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Water vs. Sports Drinks

• Hydrate before exercise with either water or sports drinks

• Hydrate during exercise with cool water for exercise under 45 minutes

• Use cool sports drinks with less than 8% carbohydrate during exercise lasting 45-60 minutes

• Rehydrate after exercise to replace water loss and carbohydrate and sodium loss with sports drinks

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Heat-Related Illnesses

• A spectrum of illnesses ranging from heat cramps to heat exhaustion, to often fatal heat stroke

• Caused by inability of the body to adequately get rid of heat from:

– Environment (temperature/humidity)

– Produced by exertion

• Stressful environmental conditions increase risk of heat-related illness

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Signs and Symptoms

• Heat Stroke– Nausea– Vomiting/Diarrhea– Headache– Dizziness or weakness– Hot, and dry or wet skin– Increased heart rate– Decreased blood

pressure– Dehydration– Seizures– CNS Issues

• Heat Exhaustion– Nausea– Feeling faint or dizzy– Heavy sweating– Rapid, weak pulse– Dark-colored urine– Cool, moist, pale skin– Cramps– Headache– Unusual fatigue

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Quick Comparison

• Heat Exhaustion– Serious– Needs prompt

attention– Moist, pale, cool skin– May have elevated

temperature– Heavy sweating– May become life-

threatening (call 911 promptly)

• Heat Stroke– Most severe– Life-threatening

medical emergency– Call 911

immediately– Dry, or wet skin– High body

temperature– CNS dysfunction

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What Should You Do?

• If dehydration/heat-related illness occurs

– Quick treatment is extremely important

– If heat stroke is suspected or a child with heat exhaustion is not quickly improving, call 911 immediately

– Continue to rapidly cool the child while EMS is on its way the key for heat stroke survival is rapid cooling, preferably via cold water immersion or dousing.

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Treatment

• Move the child to a cool place

• Have a child drink cool water or sports drink only if the child is alert, awake, and not vomiting

• Raise the child’s legs 8-12 inches

• Cool the body by immersing or dousing with cold water, if not available place 6 towels that were in ice water over entire body and change out every 2-3 minutes.

• Keep the child from physical activity until cleared by a doctor

• More Info on heat illness: www.ksi.com

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Overuse Injuries

• Due to repetitive motions and tissue break down without a chance to repair

• Can be caused by changes in activity level or excessive exercise

• Pediatric athletes should take 10 weeks off from the same sport in different seasons

• Youth athletes should be encouraged to try multiple sports and delay specializing in one sport

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Prevention of Overuse Injuries

• Identify warning signs early:– Arm pain; decreased throwing speed; leg, knee, or

hip pain; fatigue; disinterest.

• Decrease volume of activity– Participate in only one sport per athletic season– Limit activity to 16-20 hours per week

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Training and Conditioning toPrevent Overuse Injuries

• Pre-season conditioning should focus on strength, coordination, and flexibility (NOT sport-specific skills)

• General fitness (such as endurance training) should begin at least 2 months prior to the start of the season

• Young athletes should have at least 1-2 days off per week

• Training intensity should not progress at a rate of more than a 10% increase per week

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Overuse in Pitchers

• Pitching limits should be enforced for full-effort throwing for athletes under 14 years old:

– 75 pitches per game

– 600 pitches per season

– 2,000-3,000 pitches per year

• Pitching limits for athletes 15-18 years old:

– 90 pitches per game

– No more than 2 games per week

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Concussion in Youth Sports:Playing Smart with your Head

Gerard A. Gioia, Ph.D.Pediatric Neuropsychologist

Chief, Division of Pediatric NeuropsychologyDirector, Safe Concussion Outcome, Recovery & Education

(SCORE) Program, Children’s National Medical Center

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Key Points

• Youth sports are generally safe when played properly.

• Concussions can occur in any sport – practice or game.

• Proper recognition of and response to a suspected concussion by parents, coaches and players will help improve safety.

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What Is a Concussion?

Concussion = brain injury• Caused by a bump or blow to the head• “Ding,” or “getting your bell rung,” or a seemingly mild

bump or blow to the head can be serious.

You can’t see a concussion• Signs and symptoms of concussion can be immediate or

delayed until days or weeks after the injury• Seek medical attention right away if you notice or your

child reports any symptoms of concussion

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The Facts

• All concussions are serious.

• Most concussions occur without loss of consciousness.

• Recognition and proper response to concussions when they first occur can help aid recovery and prevent further injury, or even death.

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How Can I Recognizea Concussion?

To help you recognize a concussion, ask the injured student or witnesses of the incident about:

1. Any kind of forceful blow to the head or to the body that resulted in rapid movement of the head.

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2. Any change in the student’s behavior, thinking, or physical functioning. (See the signs and symptoms of concussion.)

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Concussion Signs I Might See

• Appears dazed or stunned

• Is confused about events

• Answers questions slowly

• Repeats questions

• Can’t recall events prior to the hit, bump, or fall

• Can’t recall events after the hit, bump, or fall

• Loses consciousness (even briefly)

• Shows behavior or personality changes

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Symptoms My Child Might Tell Me

Thinking/Remembering:

• Difficulty thinking clearly

• Difficulty concentrating or

remembering

• Feeling more slowed down

• Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy,

or groggy

Physical:

• Headache or “pressure” in head

• Nausea or vomiting

• Balance problems or dizziness

• Fatigue or feeling tired

• Blurry or double vision

• Sensitivity to light or noise

• Numbness or tingling

• Does not “feel right”

Emotional:

• Irritable

• Sad

• More emotional than usual

• Nervous

Sleep*:

• Drowsy

• Sleeps less than usual

• Sleeps more than usual

• Has trouble falling asleep

* Only ask about sleep symptoms if the injury occurred on a

prior day.

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What Should You Do If You Think Your Child Has a

Concussion?

1. Seek medical attention right away. A health care professional will be able to decide

how serious the concussion is and when it is safe for your child to return to sports.

2. Keep your child out of play. Concussions take time to heal. Don’t let your child return

to play until a health care professional says it’s 0K. Children who return to play too soon

– while the brain is still healing – risk a greater chance of having a second concussion.

Repeat or later concussions can be very serious. They can cause permanent brain

damage, affecting your child for a lifetime.

3. Coaches should know if your child had a recent concussion. Your child’s coach may

not know about a concussion your child

received in another sport or activity unless you tell the coach.

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Resources

www.cdc.gov/concussion

• Youth Coaches Concussion Toolkit• High School Coaches Toolkit• Physicians Toolkit• School Toolkit

www.sportsconcussions.org

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Key Points

• Youth sports are generally safe when played properly.

• Concussions can occur in any sport – practice or game.

• Proper recognition of and response to a suspected concussion by parents, coaches and players will improve safety.

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Sports Parents:Keeping Kids Happy, Healthy

and in the GameSteve Young

ParentSuper Bowl XXIX MVP

Hall of Fame NFL Quarterback

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NFL Hall of Fame – My Perspective

• Competing in exciting games, team camaraderie, and even yes, a series of injuries, including concussions

• 14+ years of great memories

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Concussions

“It's a nefarious little injury because it's hard to know when you're ready to play again. There are many gradations of concussions. It puts everyone

in a tough spot.”Lessons Learned:• Do not push it. • Error on the side of rest. • Resist the impulse to try and get back

more quickly than you should.• My opinion: seven days of rest, minimum,

even for the “vanilla” ones.

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Youth Sports Safety – My Perspective

• Parents set examples for their children during practice and in the game

• My goals for my children, especially given my concussion history:– Be able to judge what they enjoy…and what they

don’t– Experience the joys of team camaraderie– Ease of getting to know the rules of the game– Establish a connection between my child and me – Keep them in the game, and not sidelined with an

injury by helping them properly prepare for the game– Know how to prevent injuries, along with their signs

and symptoms (in case one does occur)

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Coaches/ Trainers Parents

Communication

Youth Athlete

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Concussions:Prepare, Prevent, Perceive

Prepare: 1. Know the signs

• www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/youth

2. Be aware of the risks • Some situations are more likely to result in concussion

Prevent:3. Talk to your child and his or her coach about

preventative actions 4. Observe practices and games5. Learn the signs of the injuries

Perceive:6. Recognize a possible concussion7. When in doubt, sit them out!

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What Sports Can Do for Our Kids

• Foster friendships• Learn life skills

– (leadership, team building, communication, discipline, competition)

• Create and establish healthy habits• Improve motor skills

– (balance, coordination)• Promote fun, happiness, confidence• Engage them in a safe, competitive play

environment

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Sports Are To Be Enjoyed!

Prepare. Prevent. Play.

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Youth Sports SafetyCampaign