Asthma does not have to be a sports-stopper for kids
Posted: September 23, 2015 Filed under: Allergies, Asthma, Emergency Action Plan, Player Safety | Tags: allergies, asthma, player safety, Safety Tag, Youth Sports Leave a comment »You might remember a time when kids with asthma were discouraged from playing sports and told to take it easy. That’s no longer the case. Being active, working out and playing sports not only help kids with asthma stay fit, maintain a healthy weight and have fun, but also can strengthen their breathing muscles and help the lungs work better.
For these reasons, your doctor may recommend exercise as part of your child’s asthma treatment plan. If you have doubts about whether sports and asthma mix, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology reports that asthma affects more than 20 percent of elite athletes and one in every six Olympic athletes.
Two important things that kids who have asthma should know about sports participation are their asthma must be under control in order for them to play sports properly and when it is well controlled, they can - and should - be active and play sports just like anyone else.
Of course, some sports are less likely than others to pose problems for people with asthma. Swimming, leisurely biking and walking are less likely to trigger asthma flare-ups, as are sports that require short bursts of activity like baseball, football, gymnastics and shorter track and field events.
Endurance sports, like long-distance running and cycling, and sports like soccer and basketball, which require extended energy output, may be more challenging. This is especially true for cold-weather sports like cross-country skiing or ice hockey. But that doesn’t mean kids can’t participate in these sports if they truly enjoy them. In fact, many athletes with asthma have found that, with proper training and medication, they can participate in any sport they choose.
To keep asthma under control, it’s important that kids take their medicine as prescribed.
Your child should carry quick-relief medicine (also called rescue or fast-acting medicine) at all times, even during workouts, in case of a flare-up.
It’s also a good idea to keep triggers in mind. Depending on their triggers, kids with asthma may want to skip outdoor workouts when pollen or mold counts are high, wear a scarf or ski mask when training outside during the winter, breathe through the nose instead of the mouth while exercising and make sure they always have time for a careful warm-up and cool-down.
These recommendations should be included in the asthma action plan you create with your child’s doctor.
Also, make sure that the coach knows about your child’s asthma and the asthma action plan. Most important, your child and the coach need to understand when it’s time for your child to take a break from a practice or game so that flare-ups can be managed before they become emergencies.
Source: “Tyler Morning Telegraph - Asthma Does Not Have to Be a Sports-stopper for Kids.” TylerPaper.com. N.p., 23 Sept. 2015. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
Make sure an asthma action plan is on your back-to-school checklist
Posted: August 5, 2015 Filed under: Asthma, Emergency Action Plan, Player Safety | Tags: asthma, player safety, Safety Tag Leave a comment »For nearly 7 million children living with asthma, gearing up for another school year involves much more than picking out a new pencil case and backpack.
Asthma is one of the main reasons that students miss school due to illness. All told, asthma causes more than 10 million lost school days every year. Parents, schools and health care providers can all play an active role to ensure that children with asthma can be healthy, safe, and ready to learn.
The American Lung Association has several tools and resources not only for parents, but also for school nurses other school personnel. Help create a community of support for children with asthma by using and sharing these free educational tools and resources.
Asthma Basics is our free online course that offers an overview of asthma management that is helpful for teachers, coaches, school nurses and parents. In this self-paced learning module, participants learn about asthma triggers, symptoms, steps to prevent an asthma episode and the actions to take to respond to a breathing emergency. Participants get access to a number of resources including an asthma action plan and medication demonstration videos.
Asthma-Friendly Schools Initiative is a comprehensive approach to asthma management that aligns with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Coordinated School Health model. This step-by-step guide includes best practices and template policies to create a safe and healthy learning environment. Parents can work with schools to ensure that asthma-friendly policies and practices are in place giving students with asthma the best chance for a successful school year.
We recommend that schools provide access to back-up quick-relief medication for students with asthma. By improving access to life-saving medication during the school day, schools can prevent a medical emergency. Our Stock Bronchodilator Model Policy is available for school districts.
Surveys have shown that some school personnel believe that elementary-aged children are not developmentally ready to carry their own asthma medication, in spite of research to the contrary. Through the Student Readiness Assessment Tool, we can empower students and increase confidence in their school nurses that students are able to self-carry their quick-relief inhalers during the school day and prevent emergencies.
The American Lung Association is committed to providing up-to-date information and resources to help keep children with asthma active and healthy. Wishing you all the best for a happy and healthy school year.
Source:
Make sure an asthma action plan is on your back-to-school checklist
Posted: August 5, 2015 Filed under: Asthma, Emergency Action Plan, Player Safety | Tags: asthma, emergency action plan, player safety, Safety Tag Leave a comment »For nearly 7 million children living with asthma, gearing up for another school year involves much more than picking out a new pencil case and backpack.
Asthma is one of the main reasons that students miss school due to illness. All told, asthma causes more than 10 million lost school days every year. Parents, schools and health care providers can all play an active role to ensure that children with asthma can be healthy, safe, and ready to learn.
The American Lung Association has several tools and resources not only for parents, but also for school nurses other school personnel. Help create a community of support for children with asthma by using and sharing these free educational tools and resources.
Asthma Basics is our free online course that offers an overview of asthma management that is helpful for teachers, coaches, school nurses and parents. In this self-paced learning module, participants learn about asthma triggers, symptoms, steps to prevent an asthma episode and the actions to take to respond to a breathing emergency. Participants get access to a number of resources including an asthma action plan and medication demonstration videos.
Asthma-Friendly Schools Initiative is a comprehensive approach to asthma management that aligns with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Coordinated School Health model. This step-by-step guide includes best practices and template policies to create a safe and healthy learning environment. Parents can work with schools to ensure that asthma-friendly policies and practices are in place giving students with asthma the best chance for a successful school year.
We recommend that schools provide access to back-up quick-relief medication for students with asthma. By improving access to life-saving medication during the school day, schools can prevent a medical emergency. Our Stock Bronchodilator Model Policy is available for school districts.
Surveys have shown that some school personnel believe that elementary-aged children are not developmentally ready to carry their own asthma medication, in spite of research to the contrary. Through the Student Readiness Assessment Tool, we can empower students and increase confidence in their school nurses that students are able to self-carry their quick-relief inhalers during the school day and prevent emergencies.
The American Lung Association is committed to providing up-to-date information and resources to help keep children with asthma active and healthy. Wishing you all the best for a happy and healthy school year.
Source: “Make Sure an Asthma Action Plan Is on Your Back-to-school Checklist.” Houston Herald. N.p., 05 Aug. 2015. Web. 05 Aug. 2015.
MHSAA introduces concussion testing pilot programs, insurance
Posted: August 4, 2015 Filed under: Concussions, Emergency Action Plan, High School, Player Safety | Tags: Concussions, high school sports, player safety, Safety Tag Leave a comment »By HUGH BERNREUTER
More than 25 years ago, Pete Ryan was blindsided during a football game and couldn’t remember the second half.
Finally, Monday, he was tested for a concussion.
Ryan, the Saginaw Heritage athletic director, was the test subject Monday for a new pilot program provided by the Michigan High School Athletic Association to help schools diagnose and document concussions.
“You already have a lot of schools out there doing things as far as in-game testing,” MHSAA information director John Johnson said. “The pilot programs are tests of the programs we’re using and the schools are using. We wanted to have enough schools involved to get some meaningful data back.”
Seventy schools will participate in two testing programs for the 2015-16 school year, committing to involve at least two sports for each gender each season.
The two programs are the King-Devick Test and the XLNTbrain Sport program.
Ryan, a member of the MHSAA Representative Council, was the test subject for the King-Devick Test, which asks athletes to read single-digit numbers on a tablet to detect changes in eye movement, attention, language and concentration after a hit to the head.
“It’s not hard,” said Ryan, who played football for Iron Mountain in 1987. “The idea is that ocular relations can determine if there is a concussion. The average baseline time is between 28 and 40 seconds.”
Athletes are tested prior to competition to determine a baseline number to compare against post-collision numbers. Ryan took the test twice. The first time took 41 seconds, the second 31.
The XLNTbrain Sport program involves a series of balance and cognitive tests to measure reaction time, attention, inhibition, impulses, memory, information processing, moods, anxiety and stress.
“They are two very different kinds of tests,” Johnson said. “King-Devick is well-established as far as what it does, and it’s endorsed by the Mayo Clinic. We will get feedback for both tests.
“The XLNT takes longer, from 26 to 30 minutes. The King-Devick only takes a few minutes. They are two completely different set-ups to get to the same end, basically to let coaches know if there are any red flags that come up to withhold a child from playing.”
The high school association will also mandate record-keeping for all member schools regarding potential concussion events from detection to the athlete’s return to play. The requirement applies to both genders and all levels of sports, from seventh grade through 12th grade.
“This is an all-sports thing,” Johnson said. “People think concussions, and they think football. But concussions cover all sports at all levels. We’re covering a lot of ground and anticipate getting a lot of data that we can use.”
The association will also provide extra insurance, free to its member schools and athletes. The insurance will help pay accident medical expenses, covering deductibles and co-pays left unpaid by other policies.
“It’s something that’s been well-received,” Johnson said. “We’re the first state association in the country to provide this insurance and the only one to do it at no expense to the school.”
Source: Bernreuter, Hugh. “MHSAA Introduces Concussion Testing Pilot Programs, Insurance.” N.p., 04 Aug. 2015. Web. 04 Aug. 2015.
Taking care of asthma: How to spot an attack and how to help
Posted: August 2, 2015 Filed under: Asthma, Emergency Action Plan, Player Safety | Tags: asthma, emergency action plan, player safety, Safety Tag Leave a comment »According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 25 million Americans suffer from asthma — about one in every 12 people. Of those, roughly 7 million are children.
The number of those affected by the disease increases every year, resulting in significant health care expenses. In 2007, asthma cost the U.S. about $56 billion in medical costs, issued school and work days, and early deaths.
Whether you or someone you know suffers from asthma, Danville Regional Medical Center wants to make sure you are prepared to fight asthma this summer.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by inflamed airways that cause wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing. Asthma attacks occur when certain irritants get into the lungs and cause muscles to tighten around already-inflamed airways. Extra mucous is often produced, which further restricts one’s airways during an attack.
Once diagnosed, asthma is often manageable if patients know what causes their attacks and try to avoid those triggers. However, asthma can limit what some patients can and cannot do.
How to prevent asthma attacks One way to prevent an asthma attack is to avoid triggers. Air pollution, smoke, allergens and mold are all common irritants that may cause an asthma attack. Patients should also diligently take any prescribed medications, develop a safe physical activity plan with their doctor and keep track of their symptoms.
How to recognize an attack If a child at camp starts wheezing while playing outside, how do you know if he or she is simply winded or really suffering from an asthma attack?
While the main signs are coughing, wheezing, breathlessness and chest tightness, these symptoms could also be the result of a cold, allergies or overexertion. For this reason, it is crucial that asthma sufferers always inform supervisors, colleagues or care providers of the disease so that proper care can be administered if an attack occurs.
What to do when an attack hits Administer the quick-relief medicine, typically an inhaler, and follow the patient’s Asthma Action Plan, a management plan developed by the patient and his or her health care provider. Parents should give any person that provides care to his or her child a copy of his or her Asthma Action Plan. This includes babysitters, sports coaches, school personnel, daycare providers, camp counselors, or anyone else who maybe responsible for your child. If an attack happens, they will need to know how to respond. Adult sufferers should also give their Asthma Action Plan to someone who can assist during an attack, such as a co-worker or exercise partner.
Source: “Taking Care of Asthma: How to Spot an Attack and How to Help.”GoDanRiver.com. N.p., 02 Aug. 2015. Web. 02 Aug. 2015.
Add Asthma, Allergy Plans to Your Back-to-School List
Posted: August 1, 2015 Filed under: Allergies, Asthma, Emergency Action Plan, Youth Sports | Tags: allergies, asthma, player safety, Safety Tag, Youth Sports Leave a comment »If your child has asthma or allergies, make sure his or her teacher, principal and school nurse know about it as part of your back-to-school planning, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) recommends.
“More than 10 million kids under age 18 have asthma, and one in four suffer from respiratory allergies,” ACAAI President Dr. James Sublett said in a news release from the organization.
“Many kids with asthma and food allergies don’t have a plan in place at school. An allergy or asthma action plan doesn’t do any good if it’s not shared with the people who can act on it,” he noted.
The first step is to have allergy/asthma control measures at home, such as lowering exposure to triggers and taking prescribed medications. At school, it’s important for teachers to know your child’s asthma and allergy triggers so that they can help the youngster avoid them in the classroom.
Parents should talk to principals and school nurses about how to handle allergy/asthma emergencies. All 50 states have laws that protect students’ rights to carry and use medicines for asthma and severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) at school.
Children at risk for life-threatening allergic reactions from certain foods or insect stings should carry epinephrine auto-injectors and have them available for immediate use, the ACAAI said.
Children with asthma and allergies should be able to take part in any school sport as long as they follow their doctor’s advice. Parents should ensure their child’s gym teacher and coaches know what to do in case of an asthma emergency.
Many children with food allergies are able to identify what they can and can’t eat, but it’s helpful if other parents and your child’s friends know, too. Some schools have policies restricting treats for special occasions. If your child’s school does not, be sure to tell other parents and children what types of foods your child must avoid.
Source: “Add Asthma, Allergy Plans to Your Back-to-School List.” Consumer HealthDay. N.p., 01 Aug. 2015. Web. 01 Aug. 2015.
Five summer tips to prevent asthma attacks
Posted: July 30, 2015 Filed under: Asthma, Emergency Action Plan, Player Safety | Tags: asthma, player safety, Safety Tag Leave a comment »Summer break in Minnesota is a great time for children to recharge and play outdoors. But it is definitely not a good time to take a break from asthma medications and asthmamanagement.
Children who reduce or stop taking their asthma medications during the summer months are at a greater risk of serious asthma symptoms in the fall.
Even if children aren’t having symptoms, summer vacation doesn’t apply to asthma medications says Dr. Deborah McWilliams, pediatrician and chair of the Division of Community Pediatrics with Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
“It’s very important that people who have asthma continue to take all their asthma medications as prescribed over the summer, even if they don’t have symptoms,” McWilliams said.
“It’s the best way to prevent asthma symptoms from starting and curbing a possible asthma attack.”
Asthma hospitalizations and emergency department visits tend to spike in the fall, possibly due to viral respiratory infections and exposure to fall pollen and outdoor mold.
Children heading back to school also have closer personal contact with many more children, which increases their exposure to infections that can trigger an asthma attack.
Because of this trend, summer is a crucial time for parents to start gearing up for fall by scheduling an asthma ‘check-up’ with a health care provider.
Follow these five tips to have a healthy summer and start of school:
Take your asthma medications everyday - Children who reduce or stop taking their asthma medications during the summer months are at greater risk of serious asthma symptoms in the fall.
Schedule an asthma check-up - Summer is a good time to get ready for fall. Schedule an asthma check-up now with your health care provider for you or your child. It’s especially important for children to see their health care provider before school starts to adjust asthma medications, check your inhaler technique, and get an updated written asthma action plan (AAP) to have at home and give a copy to the school nurse. Talk with your health care provider about your asthma action plan and how to manage asthma on a daily basis before your child heads back to school.
Know and avoid your asthma triggers - Each person’s asthma responds to different triggers. Triggers such as colds (viruses), tobacco smoke, pollen, outdoor air pollution, wood smoke, mold, dander from animals and even cold air can irritate your airways and lead to an asthma attack. Sports and other outdoor activities can make asthma flare up. Work with your health care provider to create a written asthma action plan that lists your asthma triggers, medications and what to do to keep your asthma well controlled throughout the year.
Play with asthma - Be smart when you exercise. Carry your rescue inhaler with you during runs, workouts and team practices. Avoid exercising outdoors on days that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issues an Air Quality Alert. Exercising is good for people who have asthma, but it pays to play it safe.
Pack smart for camp and family travel - If your child is going to camp (day or overnight), tell them about your child’s asthma, their triggers, and give them a copy of the AAP along with any asthma medications. If you’re travelling across country or just for an overnight, make sure all asthma medications are packed, inhalers are full (check the expiration date) and that they’ll last the length of the trip.
Source: “Five Summer Tips to Prevent Asthma Attacks.” KVLY RSS. N.p., 30 July 2015. Web. 30 July 2015.
The Importance of Being Proactive When Coaching Children With Allergies
Posted: July 6, 2015 Filed under: Allergies, Coaching, Emergency Action Plan, Player Safety | Tags: allergies, player safety, Safety Tag, Youth Sports Leave a comment »By ELAINE KELLOGG
In recent years, there has been more and more talk about children with allergies, whether these allergies are minor or life threatening. This chatter is for good reason, as there has been an extreme increase in the number of people who are affected by allergies since the beginning of the millennium, though no one has an explanation as to why. Research has estimated that “up to 15 million Americans have food allergies… and this potentially deadly disease affects 1 in every 13 children” 1. This is an important statistic for any teacher, coach, or extracurricular program leader who has the responsibility of taking care of a large number of children to remember. When a teacher or coach is assigned a group of children to teach and look after, they need to have a thought in their mind about the potential of having a child with allergies and the severity of the situation that they could be dealing with.
One serious challenge when dealing with children who have allergies is the fact that children cannot always communicate with a teacher or coach about the allergies that they have. As someone with a younger brother who has experienced severe food allergies since birth, I know that before my brother was old enough, he did not even fully understand what having an allergy meant or what he could and could not eat. This can be extremely scary for parents of a child with allergies because they live in fear that one day their child may be offered something to eat by someone who is unaware of the allergy, and their child will not understand that they cannot eat it. Unknowingly, someone can offer his or her child something that could potentially kill the child if not treated immediately.
The first thing that we can do to help alleviate this scary situation is to educate those who are in charge of children about the different kinds of allergies and the possible reactions that could occur as a result of these allergies. Secondly, these people in charge also need to be well informed about the specific allergies that a child has before they assume responsibility for that child. Even in a seemingly harmless situation, a child could have an unexpected reaction if a teacher or coach is uninformed and unaware. Take a youth soccer practice for example: A boy’s mother decides to bring snacks to practice one day, not knowing that any allergies exist for any player on the team. The snacks that she brings are peanut butter cookies, which her son is able to eat so she doesn’t think twice about bringing. The coach has not been informed of any peanut allergies on the team (or he has briefly, but forgotten) and thinks nothing of the snacks the mother has brought. A little boy on the team, unknowing about the ingredients in the cookies, takes a bite and goes into anaphylactic shock. Now lets take the story one step further. The coach, now realizing that one of his players is experiencing an allergic reaction does not even know whether this boy has an Epi-pen or where it would be located.
This scenario is the exact scenario that causes so many parents to worry about their child who suffers from allergies. Most parents will tell the coach or teacher at the beginning of the season or school year if their child suffers from allergies and what these allergies are specifically, but it is so easy for someone to forget if they are not reminded. Additionally, if a coach or teacher knows about an allergy but cannot locate an Epi-pen, then knowing about the allergy does them almost no good. In order to prevent a situation like the one played out earlier, it is crucial that coaches, teachers, and anyone who is in charge of children has a sense of what they are dealing with when it comes to allergies, whether it be food, seasonal, or insect related allergies. They need to know who has them, what they may be, and how to react if something does go wrong and a child has a reaction. It has to be a top priority for them to make sure they know who is allergic to what so that they can always be looking out for the children who cannot eat certain things. By being aware and prepared, coaches and teachers can put parents at ease knowing that their child’s allergies are a concern and a priority, and that they will be in good hands in the event that they have a reaction.
1 foodallergy.org
Working Together to Prevent Injuries in Youth Sports
Posted: June 30, 2015 Filed under: Allergies, Asthma, Chronic Illness, Coaching, Concussions, Dehydration, Emergency Action Plan, Football, Heat Stroke, High School, Lawsuit, Little League, Player Safety, Soccer, Uncategorized, Volunteer, Youth Hockey, Youth Sports | Tags: Concussions, Education, player safety, Safety Tag, Youth Sports Leave a comment »We’ve all been there: getting hit or knocked down during a game and saying “I’m fine!” instead of taking a seat on the bench and determining whether or not we are really injured. No player wants to let the team down or feel weak for admitting that he or she is hurt and in need of a break, but this mentality can actually hurt a player even more down the line. According to safekids.org, a youth sports injury that results in a visit to the emergency room occurs once every 25 seconds. This adds up to about 3,397 children in the hospital every single day. Safe to say, youth sports injuries are not uncommon and need to be taken seriously. That number would be even higher if more players were willing to admit their pain and take the necessary steps to find out how to heal it, but this would at least prevent further damage or repeated injuries of the same kind from happening. 54 percent of athletes said they have played injured, and 42 percent of athletes have admitted to “hiding or down-playing an injury during a game so they could keep playing”, according to safekids.org. This practice of hiding injuries needs to be curbed so that children stop repeatedly playing on an injury, and putting themselves in even more danger.
At the beginning of the season, players need to be told by the coach to come forward and be honest if they are feeling less than okay and ground rules should be set to agree on how the team will approach injuries. It also becomes the parents’ responsibility to report to the coaches in the event that their child has admitted to feeling pain, or has been diagnosed by a doctor and given specific instructions about how to treat an injury. Similarly, the coach needs to be open with the parent and inform them that their child has been injured during a practice or a game so that the parent can take the necessary steps to keep their child healthy and safe. Considering that 62 percent of organized sports-related injuries occur during practices, according to youthsportssafetyalliance.org, it is clear that many injuries occur when the parent is not around to witness them, making communication necessary.
While the responsibility does lie on the player, we cannot always trust that children will take an injury as seriously as they should or that they will be open with both their coach and parent and admit to one. According to safekids.org, less than half of coaches are certified and know how to prevent and recognize sports injuries, while 53 percent have said they’ve felt “pressure from a parent or player to put an athlete back in the game” after an injury. To make the playing field a safer place, coaches need to be certified or, at the very least, aware of the health issues of their players, just as parents need to focus on their children’s health rather than their goal count.
What all of this comes down to is communication. The gaps between players and parents, players and coaches, and parents and coaches leave room for more harm. A player who tells his parents that his ankle hurt during the last practice and gets a note from the doctor that he should skip gym class should not be playing in their soccer game the next day. The player might not want to tell their coach about this for fear of being benched, but the parent should recognize the importance of resting for their child’s safety and keep the coach informed. Similarly, if a player was complaining of dizziness during practice and had to sit out, the coach should report this to the parent so that they can go to a doctor or keep an eye out for their child. If a coach or a parent doesn’t know there is something wrong with the child, then they have no way of fixing the problem. Where communication stops is where injuries can go from bad to worse. The more aware that parents and coaches are about a player’s injuries, the more help and support they can give. When players, parents, and coaches work together, athletes are kept safer and the team becomes stronger as a whole.
Will This Safety Program Be As Common as a Helmet?
Posted: June 18, 2015 Filed under: Allergies, Asthma, Chronic Illness, Coaching, Concussions, Dehydration, Emergency Action Plan, Player Safety, Youth Sports | Tags: player safety, Safety Tag, Youth Sports Leave a comment »Michael Buono has been coaching youth sports for years, and like many parents and volunteers, he has no medical training. But he’s still the first one to help a child if they get injured on the field. Does the child have any pre-existing conditions? Are they diabetic? Asthmatic? Who’s to know.
So he developed SafetyTag, a program that creates player safety files for each child, displaying their unique health conditions. Why is little Johnny gasping for air? Peanut allergy? Asthma? The coach can know in seconds by looking at Johnny’s SafetyTag file — which says that his inhaler is in his blue backpack.
Buono said that the program is Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant (likely because the parents fill in the information themselves and medical professionals aren’t the ones sharing and using it.) With 26 million kids playing youth sports, he sees a big market.
“We’re hoping leagues mandate it in the future,” said Buono, “just like a cup and a mouthpiece.”
Source: Shelly, Jared. “Will This Safety Program Be As Common as a Helmet?” Philadelphia Magazine. N.p., 18 June 2015. Web. 18 June 2015.
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