Kid Health

It’s summer, and kids are swimming, playing ball and other sports. How do you keep them injury-free?

According to Tony Breitbach, director of athletic training education at Saint Louis University, parents
can do five things:

- Make sure equipment fits properly. Kids grow fast, which means the gear that fit perfectly last year may be too small now.

- Watch your child’s diet. To stay healthy while playing sports, kids need to eat a proper and balanced diet – low in fat, with moderate amounts of lean protein and high in complex carbohydrates.

- Keep your child well-rested, not over-booked. The right amount of sleep is critical to day-to-day function.

- Help your child stay fit. The more fit someone is, the less likely he or she is to be injured playing sports.

- Treat injuries right away. Take scrapes, pains and aches seriously, and if your child is hurt, make sure the injury gets immediate medical attention.