A new report released from the American Academy of Pediatrics this month addresses the topic of preventing the spread of infectious disease in organized sports. This is a hot topic for pediatricians in Raleigh who do lots of sports physicals, including those of us here at Carolina Kids Pediatrics.
The highlights of this report: Skin infections spread by direct contact with other athletes account for 10-15% of time lost from sports. At Carolina Kids Pediatrics, we see kids from around Raleigh for sports physicals on a regular basis who have acquired skin infections through direct contact with other athletes or contaminated sports equipment. A general rule we can review during sports physicals is never to share equipment, towels or clothing, and make sure that wrestling mats and protective sports equipment are cleaned regularly – a dilute bleach solution works quite well to kill many bacteria, viruses and fungi which cause skin infection. Some additional advice about common sports-related infections:
Every organized sports team, whether school-based or not, requires that children be cleared by their Raleigh pediatrician through a sports physical. When your child gets their sports physical at Carolina Kids Pediatrics, please talk to us not only about injury and concussion prevention, but also the prevention of infectious disease from sports participation.
For more information on these guidelines on preventing infections in sports, check out this article before you come in for this year’s sports physical:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/25/well/family/when-athletes-share-infections.html
Christian Nechyba, MD
Carolina Kids Pediatrics
Your Pediatrician in Raleigh, North Carolina
It's spring, and for many families, that means gearing up for the busy sports seasons ahead. Before lacing up the cleats or trying on a jersey, scheduling a school or sports physical at Carolina Kids, your Raleigh pediatric office, is the best way to ensure a successful athletic season for your child.
All students that will be participating in school-sponsored sports need a physical examination before participating. These exams evaluate a student athlete's current health and fitness level, as well as their risk of potential injury or concussion. Other organizations, such as camps or recreational sports leagues, may also require physicals before participation.
At Carolina Kids Pediatrics in Raleigh, NC, these physical exams typically happen long enough before the beginning of the sports season to provide enough time to address any potential issues before beginning a sport. They involve taking a thorough medical history, which includes current and past illnesses or injuries, hospitalizations, and any health problems within the immediate family.
School and sports physicals are a great opportunity for the health professionals at Carolina Kids Pediatrics to update records and go over important health and safety issues with both children and their parents. School and sports physicals in Raleigh assess whether the student is healthy and physically able to take on the activity.
Being disqualified is highly unlikely - it's estimated that less than 1% of students have conditions that keep them out of activities, and most of the time, those conditions have already been diagnosed. Your Raleigh pediatrician may refer your child for further testing or to a specialist to figure out how to rectify any potential issues that might happen on the field or court.
Make sure you bring along any required forms to be filled out and signed. The whole pediatric staff at Carolina Kids Pediatrics in Raleigh, NC looks forward to helping your child start their journey to physical fitness and fun!