Sports injuries in children: Should we be concerned?

Proactive Measures for Kids' Sports Injuries - Motherhood Hospital India

By Dr. Shilpi Srivastava, Consultant Physiotherapits, Lactation Expert and Child birth educator, Motherhood Hospital, Noida

Eight-year-old Suresh is enthusiastic about sports and he is so passionate about it that he even doesn’t want to give a break to it if he is sick or met with some injury. Since he doesn’t take adequate rest after meeting such injuries, his body has become prone to wounds and sprain. The health experts even suggest that the tender bones and tissues of children are often subjected to some kind of injuries when they play without taking proper precaution and don’t rest after having a muscle pull or sprain.

Even a report from Centres from Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that more than 2.6 million children from 0-19 years old are treated in the emergency department each year for sports and recreation-related injuries. Some sports, which require frequent contact, are more dangerous than others. Contact sports such as football or basketball can be expected to result in a higher number of injuries like sprains and strains than a noncontact sport such as swimming. All kinds of sports can result in an injury either from the trauma of contact with the other players or from overuse or misuse of a body part.    

Most frequently occurring injuries

The most common injuries are muscle-joint sprains, bruises, dislocation and fractures and all these occur at frequent injured areas of the body, knee, ankle and shoulder joints. These injuries are short-lived and can be recovered within 10-15 days. According to the experts, only 4 in 10,000 injuries are that severe, which results in quitting sports. 

In all these injuries, diagnosis and care play an utmost pivotal role. Since children have soft tissues and bones unlike adults, their X-ray or MRI reports should be carefully evaluated by the pediatric orthopedic or radiation specialists familiar with such kind of reports. Even parents, doctors and faculty members should be cautious enough to give a good-enough time to the kid to resume sports. Unlike movies, they should be refrained from participating in any kind of sports competition during the treatment procedure.

Treatment of sports injury

The treatment of such injuries depends on how badly the kid is hurt. Here are some of the options your doctor may give you:

First aid: If the injury is minor, the kid may only need to put ice on your knee, elevate  his leg, and stay off his feet for a while. He can reduce swelling by wrapping an ace bandage around his knee. Crutches can help to keep weight off his knee.

Medications: Anti-inflammatory drugs can help to reduce swelling and pain. The doctor may suggest over-the-counter medications or prescribe something stronger.

Physical therapy: The child may need this a few days a week to get his knee back in working order. During these sessions, he will do exercises to strengthen the muscles around his knee that will help him regain a full range of motion. He may be sent home with exercise to do on your own.

Surgery: The doctor may tell you that you need this if your ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is torn badly. A surgeon will remove the damaged ACL and replace it with tissue to help a new ligament grow in its place. With physical therapy, kids who have surgery can often play sports again within 12 months.

Key Prevention Tips

Take proper time to heal completely

In general, an injury takes 12 to 16 weeks to be fully healed. But mostly, children start feeling better after a span of four weeks or so. And, they often get back to sports. This practice can have serious repercussion on bone health and might lead to disability. So, one should take full prescribed time for resting.

Always wear protective gears

Parents or teachers should create awareness among kids about the importance of wearing right protective gears such as elbow and knee pads, helmets, wrist guards for their activities.  Also ensure that all the protective gears are in right condition.  For example, avoid wearing such gears which have missing or broken buckles or compressed or worn padding. Poorly fitting equipment may be uncomfortable and also does not offer the best protection.

Warm up is the key

Before playing any sports, a kid should devote 20 minutes of his/her time in stretching the muscles, side shuffling and warming up.  They help in activating muscles and reducing injuries during the sport.

Stay Hydrated

To avoid heat-related injuries or illness, give some time to the child athletes to get their body gradually adjust to the weather conditions. Parents and coaches should make sure that players are hydrated well. Injuries occur when a child is not hydrated or rested well.

Follow the guidelines

Ensure that your child’s sports program or school has an action plan that includes information on how to teach athletes ways to lower their chances of getting a concussion and other injuries. Get more concussion safety tips.

A safe space of a child’s health!

We all want our child to have the very best life possible and health is an important aspect of a person’s life. Children have a plethora of health requirements, starting from the time they are born till their teenage years. Children cannot take care of their own health, which is why going to a pediatrician in Coimbatore in a wise option.

The best pediatrician in Coimbatore will have all the required expertise in handling and caring for a child’s health. A pediatrician has the knowledge when it comes to procedures and treatments for children of all ages.

From the time a child is born, the child needs various vaccinations to ward off viruses. The developing months are important as this is when the child’s mental and physical development is taking place. During these years a child is also prone to different types of injuries that may occur during playing. They tend to fall sick and catch illnesses fast as they come in contact with a lot of different people in schools, tuition classes and during recreational activities. Then comes the teenage years, where the body experiences a lot of change, the changes are internal, mental and physical. From all of these stages, making sure your child visits a pediatrician regularly will make sure your child leads an overall healthy life and you are always informed about your child’s upkeep.

The pediatrician in the Women’s Centre by Motherhood, Coimbatore will have access to the best medical infrastructure and latest technologies for a trusted medical service. They are up to date with the popular medical trends and have the practical knowledge to provide your child with the best care possible.

From regular health check-ups, evaluations, treatments and complex procedures, this is the one stop for all the care your child’s health needs.

Special care for your special child!

Childhood is a memorable and fun period of life but it is also a time when we tend to get a lot of injuries from playing. Children are also susceptible to various illnesses and viruses due to a delicate immune system. It is essential for children to go for regular visits to a pediatrician in Noida as a child’s body goes through numerous changes in their developing years. Taking care of a child is a full-time job with fewer breathers, having a trusted pediatrician will ease up a little part of your job. From regular health-checkups, vaccinations and treatment of illnesses and injuries, a pediatrician plays an important role in providing medical supervision in a child’s life.

A pediatrician has all the expertise and knowledge about a child’s health and treatment. Some of the pediatric treatments and procedures in Motherhood Hospitals include well-child exams, vaccinations, immunization, development screening, neurology, infectious disease and rehabilitation. A pediatrician will be able to evaluate your child’s health using specialized skillsets required to deal with the health and anatomy of children and young adults. Children tend to spend a lot of time outdoors and come in to contact with a large number of people daily. From going to school, tuition classes, extracurricular activities and playgrounds, they by default are prone to illnesses and injuries very often.

Visiting the best pediatrician in Noida will make sure that your little one remains in the best of his/her health during their developing stage up till the point of young adulthood. Even for surgical care and emergencies, it is only natural that you d want your child to be in safe hands and under the care of someone who is specialized in dealing with children. It is always a better idea to be prepared and be regular with your child’s health and medical needs so they can grow up to being healthy adults.

How To Protect Children Who Are Prone To Infection During Seasonal Change

The onset of Monsoons, brings in challenges of mosquito related infections. This is when the mosquitoes start breeding. Mosquitoes like Aedes Egypti breed in pools or puddle of fresh water and can cause Dengue.

Dr.?˜ Santosh Kumar, Paediatrician &?˜ Neonatologist, Motherhood Hospitals, Banashankari, Bangalore

Monsoons are always an enjoyable time for everyone, especially kids. After a long scorching summer, they get to enjoy the pleasant rainfall and play around in the mud and rain. But this monsoon is going to be very different.

Children may not understand this, but we are dealing with a pandemic this year. Parents must be extra careful about their childrenŸ??s safety around this time. While we are all taking the necessary precautions to protect our kids from coronavirus, we should not forget the illnesses/diseases that are caused by seasonal change, especially during monsoons. This is the time when your childŸ??s immune system is weakened, making them susceptible to various waterborne diseases.

There are certain infections which are seasonal, and some specific infections are more common in certain seasons. Some of them are:

Various bacteria thrive during summer due to the heat and moisture. Children falling ill during summer is more common than one would assume. Cases of loose motion and vomiting occur often, and they result in dehydration. In extreme harsh temperatures beyond 40 degrees Celsius, newborn babies can develop dehydration related fever.

During winter, flu can be a very common phenomenon with children and therefore flu virus can be pretty active during this time. They may cause a variety of diseases from the common cold to swine flu. Coughing, sneezing, runny nose, fever, body aches, congestion become quite common during this season. Due to the cold weather, cases of lower respiratory infections or viral bronchiolitis in babies increase.

The onset of Monsoons, brings in challenges of mosquito related infections. This is when the mosquitoes start breeding. Mosquitoes like Aedes Egypti breed in pools or puddle of fresh water and can cause Dengue.

The female Anopheles mosquito breeds in marshy waters, this is the one that causes Malaria. Mosquitoes are most active during the time of sunsets, when children may be out playing. Additionally, during the rainy season, water contamination from sewage is quite common resulting in infections like diarrhea, vomiting, typhoid, cholera etc

Apart from diseases due to seasonal changes, there may be an increase in infections when children are in close proximity to each other for example at schools or at home with their siblings. We see a number of cases of the hand foot and mouth disease, which spreads from one child to another. This causes sores in the mouth or rashes on hands and feet. It is spread by direct contact with saliva or mucus.

Prevention better than cure during the pandemic

We are living in troubled times, the pandemic has changed our way of life forever. Things we took for granted must be given a lot of thought. For example, the simple task of going to a hospital. But in the current scenario, where we all are trying to maintain social distancing to stop the spread of the virus, it is better to prevent your child from falling sick, than taking them to hospital where there could be  exposures.

Guidelines for parents to ensure wellness of their children amidst the

  • Good nutrition: Healthy and balanced diet is the first step towards improving your childŸ??s health and immunity. Parents should ensure that their child consumes all seasonal fruits, green leafy vegetables, so that they get a good vitamin supply in their diet. It is very important to avoid junk food.
  • Hand Hygiene: Teach them proper hand and respiratory hygiene. This is especially important in this pandemic ridden world. Lead by example; make sure they notice you washing your hands regularly. This will make them realise its importance and they will start imitating you. Good hand and respiratory hygiene will not only protect them from Covid-19 but also safeguard them from loose motions, typhoid, and various other viral infections.
  • Protect them from mosquitoes: As mentioned before, monsoon is the time when mosquitoes thrive. Ensure there is no water stagnation near your house. Use a mosquito net or apply repellents on your children to protect them from mosquito bites.
  • Bathroom Hygiene: This is necessary. Teach your child proper hygiene measures before after using toilet.
  • Regular vaccination: Vaccination or immunization is one of the most effective ways to prevent diseases. A vaccine or immunization is a way to build the bodyŸ??s natural immunity to a disease before the individual gets sick. This acts as a protective shield and helps to keep various ailments and diseases under check
  • Regular Exercise: Regular exercise is important to keep the child active and fit. During this time, when most schools are shut it is very easy for a child to get used to sedentary lifestyle. This can cause childhood obesity, which unfortunately has become quite common among kids nowadays. Obesity might lead to complications like diabetes and hypertension .Infact exercise can also boast immunity in children..

The COVID Advice

It is natural to feel anxious about the current scenario. Although the nation-wide lockdown restrictions have been eased, parents should not let their guard down. The cases are rising and until we develop a vaccine or achieve herd immunity, we need to be careful and watchful.

However, children have an inherent immunity, but we must remember that they can be silent carriers of the infection. Kids, especially those, staying in joint families or living with elderly people must practice good hand hygiene and social distancing, so that they do not transmit infection to elderly family members.

Follow the above steps to improve your childŸ??s health especially during this monsoon. It is certainly an enjoyable time that children long for every year, but make sure they follow all the safety precautions. In case your child falls ill, consult your doctor immediately.

When to Call your Child’s Paediatrician?

Whether it’s fever, tummy ache, or a cough, as a parent, it is only natural to worry about your little one. This article is written in an attempt to lay down the key symptoms that may require you to call the paediatrician. 

Fever

Panicking upon discovering a spike in your child’s body temperature is normal, but it should also be noted that fever isn’t a sign of danger. The body temperature of the children tends to rise when they get an infection to fight the virus, causing the infection. While this is not the case for every burst of fever, it is most common with young children. However:

  • You should call the doctor if your little one of 2-3 months old has around 100 degrees. 
  • You should call the doctor if your little one is above 2-3 months, with around 100 degrees fever and other symptoms like vomiting. 
  • You should call the doctor immediately if your child has over 104 degrees repeatedly. 

Vomiting or Diarrhoea

Try not to worry if your child vomits or show signs of diarrhoea just once. But if it persists, it means your child is getting dehydrated, which is bad. You can give them lots of fluids to keep them hydrated but if your child’s symptoms only worsen or go on for a few hours, call the doctor. The paediatrician will examine your child and may suggest an X-ray or blood and urine test or even a stool sample. 

Respiratory-related Problems

Catching a cold or cough is a common occurrence in older children. But if your child is three months or younger, a sign of respiratory problems should be alerting. Call the doctor right away to avoid the illness from turning into something more deadly like pneumonia or bronchitis.

Other symptoms, including difficulty in taking a leak or rash, could be harmless. But you may want to call the doctor if the rash becomes skin-deep or signs of unitary tract infection. 

Are you searching for the best paediatrician in Noida? Connect with Motherhood Hospital to find the best paediatrician in Noida.

 

What Time Is the Right Time to Stop Seeing a Paediatrician?

Finding the right paediatrician is very important because they take care of your child’s heath. They are involved in every milestone of the child. In short, the period during childhood to adulthood is where paediatricians play a massive role in our children’s lives. And while it is hard to think about bidding farewell to our go-to family child doctor, at a certain point, we must say goodbye.

But a popular wonder among parents and young youths (soon turning adults) is, ‘what time is the right time to stop seeing a paediatrician’. Well, generally the common consensus is- once a child turns 18, that is when they gradually shift to a general doctor. However, sometimes, people continue to see their paediatrician even until 21 years of age (i.e., college graduation). 

Should you continue to see your paediatrician even into adulthood? 

There are many reasons patients even after turning adults continue to visit their paediatricians. Some of the reasons may include intellectual disabilities, doctor-patient familiarity, etc. However, in other cases, patients suffering from lifelong illness experience a hard time switching and thus, they stick to their childhood doctor. Among the reasons, some of them include-

College stress: 

Leaving for college can be a scary feeling for many children- new environment, new faces, overwhelming study pressures, etc. All these factors may not give them a chance to find a new doctor or even make them feel more comfortable to visit their already familiar paediatrician. 

Lifelong illness: 

Patients who ail with chronic conditions such as intellectual disabilities continue to see their paediatricians even into adulthood- to avoid the emotional trauma of having to confide in someone new. Other conditions that make transitioning to adult care difficult include cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, etc. 

If you’re looking for?˜the best paediatrician in Noida, many multi-speciality hospital chains provide holistic child care such as Motherhood Hospital- Mother Hospital is a Leading Chain of Women & Child Care Hospitals with the best gynaecologists, the best obstetricians, and?˜the best paediatrician in Noida.?˜

10 things to do for a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby

During your pregnancy, you’ll get advice from everyone about how to keep yourself and your baby healthy. And choosing to stay healthy depends on you.  Below are the top 10 ways to keep you and your baby healthy.

  • See your gynaecologist as soon as your pregnancy is confirmed and keep visiting the specialist once a week for the first three months.
  • Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
  • Take folic acid for at least the first three months and vitamin D for the whole duration of your pregnancy and beyond.
  • Maintain hygiene in all aspects food, utensils, hands, etc.
  • Exercise regularly as it benefits you, and therefore your baby.
  • Cut out alcohol, quit smoking and cut down on caffeine.
  • Get adequate rest including sound sleep.
  • Attend a childbirth class. It will help you feel more prepared for delivery.
  • Check your medications: Talk to your gynaecologist before taking any medicine.
  • Track your weight: Gaining extra kilos may make it hard to lose weight later. Also, not gaining adequate weight can put the baby at risk for a low-weight birth.

Book an appointment at Motherhood Hospitals. It offers a complete birthing experience to couples by hand-holding them through their journey towards parenthood. We have a team of obstetricians/gynaecologists who are highly experienced in pregnancy care and birthing. With the highest standards of clinical competency, backed by state-of-art technology and proven protocols, Motherhood is committed to offering the best outcomes for the mother and child.

Services we offer include:

Comprehensive pregnancy care, preconception care, pregnancy care, high-risk pregnancy care, 3D/4D ultrasound, early pregnancy scan, NT scan, anomaly scan, growth scan, maternal-foetal medicine, vaccination, antenatal classes, diet and nutrition plan by clinical dietician, exercise during pregnancy designed by highly experienced physiotherapist, antenatal workshops, Lamaze, lactation counselling, postnatal nutrition, postnatal fitness, 24×7 emergency care

5 Things to Keep in Mind While Choosing a Pediatrician

Who is a pediatrician?

A pediatrician is a doctor who specializes in the medical care of infants, adolescents and children. They are especially trained to take care of the health of your child and treat any physical, mental or behavioral issues. Therefore, they are better equipped to manage the health of your child than most medical professionals.

They are crucial in ensuring the following:

  • Your child gets the required vaccinations at the right time
  • Checking if your child’s physical, mental, behavioral as well as skill development meets the necessary milestones
  • Diagnosing and treating any illnesses 
  • Advising you on the physical as well as the mental needs of your child

What are things you should keep in mind while choosing a pediatrician for your child?

Bearing in mind the critical role pediatricians play in ensuring the good health and overall well-being of your child, it is crucial that you make the right choice.

Things you should consider while choosing a pediatrician include:

  1. The educational qualifications and credentials of the specialist
  2. The years and kind of experience the pediatrician has
  3. The hospital that the pediatrician is affiliated with if any
  4. What the patients of the pediatrician have to say about their experience with him/her
  5. How comfortable you and your child feel with the pediatrician 

If you are looking for an expert pediatrician in Noida, then Motherhood Hospital Noida boasts a highly experienced and skilled pediatrics department. The hospital specializes in the care of women and children and is dedicated to providing the highest quality of care to their patients. It also boasts state-of-the-art infrastructure and is considered to have the best pediatrician in Noida as part of its team.

Breastfeeding Story by Mrs. Afreen

Breastfeeding can turn around to be a nightmare if your wife is not guided properly or if a child does not latch on correctly or lactating.

With basic general knowledge like the baby needs to be fed for two years everything felt normal.

However, it was not meant to be.

The next three months in my wife’s life defined what a mother is all about. Every man needs to respect and support his wife for all the pain, compromise and sacrifice which we sometimes conveniently forget.

It is very important that our wives get the deserved rest at home and whenever possible handle guests yourself. Be with your wife when she is feeding especially during the night sessions to divert her mind and help her carry on as it is not easy to feed every two hours.

My wife had probably one of the worst experiences of breastfeeding. What seemed to her like a perfect latch led to extremely painful feeding sessions with cracked, bleeding and sore nipples. I hid my tears to give her strength as I could not imagine someone feeding in such a state.

However, her courage to feed her hungry baby is way beyond words. During this phase, Dr Aruna (our lactation consultant) was very helpful and handled my wife very patiently. Due to over lactation my wife was able to donate milk as well and we heard it was very beneficial to a lot of babies. Would like to conclude by urging all husbands to accompany their wives in every hospital visit and consult a lactation expert to learn the right techniques. ?˜

Importance of getting your child vaccinated in a competent hospital

Vaccinations help build the body’s immunity by improving immunity before the child falls sick, thus preventing the child from having to go through the disease symptoms. A vaccine is an injection of the killed germs into the body to which the body’s immune system reacts by producing immune cells/antibodies to fight them. These immune cells/antibodies stay in the body for a long period and in some cases for the rest of your life, preventing you from falling sick by fighting off the diseases.
Why are vaccinations important?
Vaccinations are a safe and effective way to protect your child from dreaded childhood diseases. These vaccines makes child immune, thus protecting them as well as others from these diseases by preventing them from contracting or spreading of these vaccine preventable diseases.
Does the hospital where you get your child vaccinated matter?
Make sure your baby is vaccinated in a place where storage and handling requirements are up to the standards set by world health organization.Not many know the fact that improper storage or handling can lead to vaccine failures.
Why is the vaccine temperature important?
If the vaccines are exposed to temperatures outside the desirable range, it reduces their potency, increasing the risk of the child contracting the disease despite being immunized because the efficiency of the vaccination was reduced due to poor storage. This also means that the facility must have a designated, trained individual who is in charge of the vaccine inventory, conducts regular physical inspections and makes sure that the required temperatures are maintained in the storage unit.
So, the storage and handling of vaccines are a vital aspect that needs to be catered to, which is why choosing the right hospital is important. Smaller clinics may not be equipped with the best storage facilities or to handle power outages which affect the quality and effectiveness of the vaccination. To ensure you and your loved ones enjoy the full benefits of vaccines, keep in mind that you must pick a well-equipped health-care provider.