Travel Nursing and Child Sport Injuries

Youth sports is an increasingly popular trend that offers consistent physical activity to children from a young age. According to ESPN, as many as 21.5 million kids are involved in sports between the ages of 6 and 17 in the United States. Their reports also show that by the age of 6, 60 percent of boys and 47 percent of girls have participated in some organized sport.

Such a statistic is not necessarily negative. It shows that American children are getting out and being active rather than playing endless hours of video games. The looming possibility of being involved in any physical activity is obtaining an injury. As a travel nurse working with children, you are likely to notice the shockingly high number of child sports injuries quickly.

Nationwide Children’s reports that child sports injuries account for an average of 3 million emergency room visits annually. ESPN also reports that over a quarter of children who were previously involved in youth sports quit because of an injury. Through your role as a registered nurse, it is vital that you share your knowledge with parents in the treatment and prevention of common child sports injuries.

Dehydration

Many children do not hydrate themselves as much as they need to. It is a common misconception that drinking water immediately before or during an athletic competition is enough to hydrate the body. As a travel nurse working with children, you have the ability to inform unknowing parents. You can let them know of the danger of dehydration and what fluids are safe for children to consume.

In many cases, it is the coaches who put the children at risk. They may require the kids to train for long hours with very few rest periods. This may not immediately affect the child, but during intense competition, the amount of energy exerted may exceed the energy supplied, possibly causing the child to lose consciousness.

Concussions

The topic of concussions has become increasingly popular with recent developments about the effects of CTE or chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Such newfound information has resulted in many parents pulling their children out of extremely physical sports like tackle football. If a child was ever to visit you with a concussion or concussion symptoms, it is crucial that you make the parent aware of the risks.

Many coaches and parents have a “walk it off” approach to when a child sustains an injury. What they should know is that unlike any external physical injury, a concussion damages the brain in a way that can lead to permanent ailments that may become fatal.

Through your persistent administration of knowledge, you can help reduce the number of child sports injuries and ensure that sustained injuries are properly treated.  Are you interested in a career in travel therapy, but do not know where to start? Ardor Health Solutions is a healthcare staffing company that provides skilled nurses with travel therapy opportunities nationwide. Visit our job listings page for a full outline of healthcare opportunities across the country.