With summer now in full swing, kids are likely to be outside playing more often and this means one thing: a higher chance of pediatric injuries. Learn about the most common summer pediatric orthopaedic injuries, all of which we see here at MidAmerica Orthopaedics.

Long summer days are a child’s favorite time of year. No school, warm weather, and time for making memories and constant play. But with all that excess daylight and energy to burn, comes a greater potential for getting injured.

It’s impossible to prevent accidents, as much as parents hate seeing their child in pain. Bumps, bruises, and cuts are bound to happen, and happen often, especially if your child is very active or a young athlete. But knowing some of the more common injuries that your child might experience this summer could help you in preventing them from happening or, at the very least, be prepared in the event that they do.

Sprains, Strains, and Fractures

Sprains and strains can have similar symptoms but are two different things. A sprain occurs when there is stretching or tearing of ligaments. A strain, on the other hand, is stretching or tearing of muscle. Both sprains and strains are more common in children who partake in sports or are very active. They are less common in less active children due to their growth plates (weak areas of bone growth on the ends of long bones of growing children) being weaker than the muscles or tendons. Because of this, fractures are a much more common pediatric injury.

A fracture is actually the same thing as a broken bone. Until the growth plates on a child’s bones are replaced with solid bone tissue in adulthood, they can be easily damaged. In fact, up to 40% of girls and 50% of boys experience a fracture in childhood.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much that can be done in the way of prevention when it comes to sprains, strains, and fractures. For athletic kids, proper stretching to warm up and increase flexibility may help avoid sprains and strains, as well as learning the proper techniques for their particular sport to avoid injuries. But kids will be kids, and accidents that cause sprains, strains, and fractures are hard to prevent.

Concussions

A concussion is a serious brain injury that usually occurs from a blow to the head or from the head or upper body being hit or shaken violently, causing the delicate brain to move back and forth. Many summer injuries can lead to concussions such as falls from playground equipment, accidents when bicycling or skateboarding, or rough or improper contact in sports. One of the most commonly seen causes of pediatric concussions in the summer is from trampoline injuries.

Trampolines are fun for children and adults alike and are definitely a summer favorite. But concussions can be caused even just from jumping too hard. Colliding with others or parts of the equipment, falling from the trampoline, or being bounced by others can all cause concussions.

To avoid concussions, always ensure your child wears a helmet when riding a bike, skateboarding, or skating. Try to find playgrounds that have wood or rubber chips beneath it in case of falls. And always supervise a child while they are using a trampoline, even if it has a net. It is recommended to allow only one child on at a time.

Elbow Injuries

Elbow injuries such as fractures and dislocations can be common in the summer, as mentioned above, with the increase of physical activities. But also very common are elbow injuries such as Little Leaguer’s Elbow, overuse injuries of the elbow, and throwing injuries of the elbow. These injuries occur from overuse and misuse.

Children’s bones are still growing so repetitive motions or improper usage techniques can be very damaging to the bones, cartilage, tendons, nerves, and ligaments of and around the elbow. These are very common injuries in athletic children who play a lot of sports, although it is not limited to athletes.

To help prevent elbow injuries from overuse and misuse, children need to be taught proper throwing techniques if they are going to be playing sports or doing excessive throwing.

Neck and Spine Injuries

In the heat of the summer nothing quite beats a dip in the pool or lake. But as adventurous as kids are, this can sometimes mean improper use of these areas that results in serious injury.

Kids love trying to dive into bodies of water. Maybe they saw it on tv or in a movie and it looks easy enough, right? Wrong. Most pools and lakes are not deep enough for diving and this often leads to neck and spinal cord injuries, which can be very serious and even lead to paralysis.

Never let your children dive into a shallow pool or body of water and talk to them about the risks involved with this type of activity.

Treatment Options for Pediatric Orthopaedic Injuries

Treatment for pediatric orthopaedic injuries always depends on the particular type of injury. Some injuries such as sprains, strains, and elbow injuries may be resolved over time with the help of rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Other, more severe injuries such as fractures, concussions, and neck and spine injuries need the immediate attention of a pediatric orthopaedic specialist or to be taken to the emergency department.

MidAmerica’s Pediatric Orthopaedic Specialists can help you determine the best course of treatment for your child’s particular injury. At our Pediatric Clinic at our Palos Hills and Mokena locations, our specialists use both nonoperative and operative techniques.

To make an appointment at our Pediatric Clinic or learn more about our specialists and services, call us at (708) 237-7200.