Dr. Rachel Brewer is a Sports Medicine Specialist at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children in Denver, CO. Dr. Brewer is a proud parent, coach, and supporter of Girls on the Run!
Spring sports are in full swing! With that comes the risk of injury. Keep reading to learn when to seek care if your child is injured.
Youth Athlete Injuries – When to Seek Care/Evaluation
When your young athlete sustains an injury or develops pain, there are certain signs and symptoms to look for to help understand when it is appropriate to seek care.
- Acute traumatic injuries are things such as sprains, strains, fractures, joint dislocations or lacerations. In deciding to seek care emergently in an emergency department or urgent care setting, it is important to move forward with an evaluation if any of the following symptoms are apparent:
- visible deformity in the affected extremity
- inability to walk/weight-bear, inability to move an upper extremity, or sudden onset of weakness or numbness/tingling in the arms or legs.
- However, if you are unsure, it is always warranted to take your young athlete in for an evaluation.
- Overuse injuries are those that happen more gradually. These are things like knee pain, growth plate irritation or tendinitis. Consider taking your young athlete to be evaluated if the pain slows them down in their activity, their pain is associated with joint swelling, pain is not improving with things such as rest and over the counter medicines or pain that disrupts sleep or daily life activities.
As a parent, you know your child best, and any concerns about sports injuries are always ok to talk to your pediatrician or pediatric sports physician about so they can direct them on the road to recovery.
To learn more about Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children or Dr. Brewer visit RMHC’s website.
