Kids A health and safety column from Children's Mercy of Kansas City, Mo. But as the number of children participating in sports rises, so do the number of injuries they suffer. In fact, each year, four million children are treated in emergency rooms for sports injuries and another eight million are treated at other sites, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. With a little knowledge and a lot of common sense, you can help your child play more safely and avoid injuries.
Injuries can happen for several reasons.
Muscles, bones and tendons don't always grow at the same rate. The result can be a physical imbalance. For example, while the bones in your son's pitching arm may be near physical maturity, the muscles may still have some growing to do. Also, keep in mind that your child may become temporarily uncoordinated during a spurt of rapid growth. Even an exceptional athlete is more likely to injure himself during a time like that.