Paediatric Orthopaedics India Archives

Cold Weather Dangers for Kids: How to keep them Safe

The most vulnerable population during the winter seasons is the young children, the older adults and the people who are chronically ill. The bitter and freezing temperatures pose a high risks for illness as well as major injury for everyone.

How to Keep Child Safe from Common Outdoor Games Injuries?

The common ones are:

Colds and flu

According to many researches the adults gets at an average of three colds a year and every 1 out of 5 adults suffers from flu. Though cold and flu are not only specific to the winter months only, but they are much more prevalent during the winters. It has been suggested by one of the Welsh studies that the cold temperatures can actually lead to a cold thereby limiting the supply of infection-fighting white blood cells in the nasal passage, where the cold viruses most often takes the advantage of entering the body. Along with this the research also shows that the virus of the flu stays much more longer as it is more stable especially when the air is cold and dry.

Symptoms: As the symptoms of the cold and the flu are similar to each other it is very much difficult to identify the cold from flu. When the cold sets in it is susceptible for you to fee a dry with scratchy sore throat, along with headache and sneezing, with runny nose, chills, and watery eyes thereby leading to fever. After this the major symptoms would consists of sinus pain, a blocked nose, a cough that keeps you awake all night, loss of appetite, tiredness and muscle pains and aches. Flu symptoms are very quick which basically includes 100 degrees to 104 degrees of fever along with all the other symptoms of cold.
Precautions:It is very much natural for you to feel quite sick for some days but the mentioned symptoms would clear up in a week or maximum in 10 days. Mostly the people recover from the flu within a week. But it should be taken care with correct medicines and care. There is primarily no specific medicine for cold, but talking in some of the medicines would let your body fight off the virus slowly thereby curing you. Don’t opt for anti-biotic as they don’t work for viruses and can have major side effects. For flu a flu shot is enough for your body to fight the virus, but on the other hand the recommendation of zanamivir (Relenza) an inhaled drug can be taken for people from 7 to the older age.

Frostbite

Frostbite are liable to cause a loss of feeling and color especially when it is in the affected areas, such as the nose or in the ears or it can also happen in the cheeks, chin, fingers or even on the toes as well. Frostbite may be termed to be a dangerous thing. It is because it can permanently and completely damage the body tissues and even the severe cases can lead to amputation. The risk of frostbite is specially increased in people who have a reduced blood circulation and it again happens when people expose themselves to the cold weather by not dressing in a proper manner.

Symptoms: The major signs of frostbite actually include a reduced blood flow towards the feet and the hands which may lead to the freezing of the fingers and toes along with numbness, tingling or stinging, aching, and bluish or pail, waxy skin.
Precautions: In order to prevent frostbite you must wear warm clothes, and dresses which have layers, especially when you are outdoor for a considerable good amount of time and always keep your clothes dry because wet clothes increases the chances of heat loss. When you are feeling the symptoms of frostbite, you must enter into a warm room as soon as possible. You must immerse the affected area in warm water. Don’t massage that area which may cause damage. Please avoid using a heating pad, or even a heated lamp, or the stove heat, being in front of the fireplace, or a radiator for warming since the affected areas are insensible and has an easy chance of getting burned.

When there is a drop in the temperature, children require extra attention and care. Some of the tips to protect the children are:

Use Thick layers:The children must be covered with many layers of clothing and you must make sure that your child is well covered in the areas of head, neck and hands.
Beware of clothing hazards:You must be very careful about the scarves and hood strings which can strangle smaller children.
Check in on warmth:You must tell your children to go inside in case they are wet of feeling cold. Then protect them with all the necessary stuffs like giving them warm food and changing their clothes with warm ones.
Use sunscreen:Children along with the adults can get sunburn in winter as well. Hence apply sunscreen.
Install necessary alarms:The household fires mostly happen during the winters. Hence make sure of having smoke and carbon monoxide alarms at your home.
Get well equipped:You must be aware whether your child is wearing helmets during snowboarding, skiing, sledding or playing ice hockey. Any kind of sports equipment should be well and professionally fitted.
Teach normal technique:Make sure your children know all the techniques of the winter fun activities and teach them the same.
Prevent nosebleeds: In case the child suffers from winter nosebleeds in a minor way, use the cold humidifier in their room. Keep their nose moist by saline nose drops.
Keep them in a hydrated manner:Try to keep your child hydrated by giving those warm drinks or soups etc. as in winter the kids lose more water through their breath.
Watch for all the danger signs:The signs of frostbite are grey, pale or blistered skin especially in the areas of ears and nose. Keep your child indoors if you think they are suffering from frostbite and put the affected area in warm water. Call for the hospital if necessary.

Contented by: Kidsorthopedic.com

Your Kid is ‘Toe-Walking’: Should you worry?

Firstly what is meant by ‘Toe-walking’? It is basically a condition where your kid walks on his or her toes or rather to be precise on the balls of their feet. It is not always considered to be an orthopaedic condition which needs treat however you should always be careful. When kids start walking, parents wish the best for them and when they see some differences or other the first thing most of them do is Panic.

But it should be kept in mind always that a child’s body is developing and care must be taken. In case there are some faults in their behaviour or anything it might not be a serious issue always, however care must be taken and faults must be brought into notice immediately. As a child grows, these faults eventually subside and they grow as physically fit individuals.

Understanding Differences between Bow Legs and Knock Knees

In case of ‘toe walking’ the situation is similar. If your kid is 2 to 3 years old and all the time he is walking on his toes, do not worry. He will soon be fine most likely. However if he is beyond 3 years then the matter needs immediate attention and you must consult a physician regarding the same.

So if your little one is toe walking, do not get panicked. First try to figure out what could possibly be the reason behind it. There are a huge number of reasons for toe walking in case of kids. They include:

Simple habit
Short Achilles tendon
Autism
Cerebral palsy
Muscular dystrophy
Idiopathic
Some general sensory related issues

The actual cause of ‘toe walking is yet to be known. Physicians are trying to figure that out so that a better and surer form of treatment can be found in case of this kind of conditions in case of kinds of a certain age.

If your child is above 3 years and still continues to show signs of toe walking only then you should be concerned about the points other than the first point. Otherwise the first point is the most probable reason and there is no reason for you to worry. Just a few simple stretching would do the needful. In case of toe walking it should not be considered as a grave issue always. You should pay proper attention to your little one’s condition before you decide what action to take for it.

Sometimes as kids learn to walk they tend to walk on their toes and this starts becoming a habit for them which they continue to practice till age. If it continues way beyond the age of 5 you must consult a physician and do the needful.

Treatments for ‘Toe Walking’

A number of different treatments have been developed for ‘toe walking’ in kids. They are:

Some basic treatments such as stretching and bending exercises for strengthening the leg muscles.
Using of braces to limit the movement of the legs so that the child cannot get up on their toe as and when they want.
Botox injections are also given. This is done in order to temporarily paralyze the calf muscles so that the child has to touch the whole foot in order to be able to balance his or her steps properly.
Serial casting can also be used. A number of castings are done from time to time to strengthen the heel cords.
Stiff and high boots are also recommended by physicians sometimes so that the child is unable to get into the habit of rising up on his toes conveniently. This compels him to walk on the whole feet at a time.

So there is no need to worry if your child has started walking on his toes. Keep a track of his movements and if this continues to go on for a long time even after the age of 3 then consult a physician. Otherwise just train your kid and convince him to use his whole feet to balance his body while walking. If your child is ‘toe walking’ it does not always mean that there are some serious issues related to it. So just relax and enjoy the moments of your child’s growth and development.

Contented by: Kids Orthopedic.

10 Tips for Treating and Preventing Common Sports Injuries for Your Kids

Today we find the young athlete’s to be bigger and stronger, but for this they have to push themselves towards a hard and struggling life beforehand. For now the kids are increasingly likely to play their chosen game throughout the year with several sport camps and structured activities. But children spending more time on the field bring greater chances of several injuries and accidents.

Although sports participation provides numerous physical and social benefits, it also has a downside several sports related injuries. In the report of statistics it has been found that out of 2.6 million children 0-19 years old are treated in emergency department for each year for sports or recreational activities.

The Most Common sports related injuries in Kids:

Sports injuries generally range from scrapes and bruises to serious brain and spinal cord and brain injuries where most fall somewhere in between the two extremes. Here let’s look forward towards the basic injuries that happen:

Sprains and Strains: Sprain is basically an injury to the ligament, which connects the two or more bones at a joint and prevents excessive movement to the joint. Ankle sprain is very common for athlete injuries.

Strain usually occurs due to any sports or any event due to any kind of muscle or tendon injury. Muscle is generally composed of multiple tissues grouped together by a bundle of specialized cells when stimulated by nerve messages that causes contraction or any kind of movement. A tendon is a tough fibre that connects muscle to the bone. Muscle is any kind of important part that can be damaged very easily causing serious injuries.

Growth Plate Injuries: In certain sports and injuries, the growth plate is injured many a times. Growth plate is the developing region where tissues at the end of the long bones in the growing children and the adolescent. In adolescence sometimes it’s observed after the growth is complete the growth plate is replaced by solid bone. The long bones include the :-

Metacarpals and phalanges(Hand)
Radius and ulna
Femur
Tibia and fibula
Metatarsal and Phalanges(Foot)

Professional consultation is very necessary if any such case of growth plate injuries happen to occur.

Repetitive Motion Injuries:

Several painful injuries such as stress fractures (that we call it a hair line fracture) and tendinitis usually occur due to overuse of tendons and muscles. Often it happens that these injuries are not shown up on X rays but they do cause pain and discomfort. Injured area responds to rest, ice, compression and elevation. Other therapies include crutches, cast immobilization and physical therapy.

Heat Related Illness:

Heat injuries are generally injurious and fatal. This problem is more prone to children than in adults as children perspire less than adults. They require a high core body temperature to trigger sweating. Keep checking of the weather and body conditions especially during the time of rigorous games or sports events. Heat related illness include:

Dehydration( Loss of Body Fluids)
Heat exhaustion includes nausea, dizziness, weakness, headache, pale and moist skin, heavy perspiration, weak pulse, dilated pupil.
Heat stroke includes stroke, dizziness, and confusion, hot and dry skin and leading to vascular collapse.

Shoulder Injuries: 20% of the sports injuries include dislocations, sprains and strain.
Shin splits: Causes pain on the inner side of the child’s shinbone as a result of inflammation muscles that surround it.
Groin Strain: This kind of strain occurs when the child suddenly changes his or her direction while running.
Lower Back pain: This commonly affects children who engage in running, bicycling, golfing, tennis and baseball.
Pulled Muscle: Muscles behind the thighs called the hamstrings are more commonly affected to children involve in running, such as jogging, basketball, and soccer.

Pediatric sports medicine expert provides us with 10 basic tips for treating and preventing common sport injuries for Kids to keep the young athlete more on field than to keep them on side-lines:-

Talk with young Athlete: Make sure that the young athlete should understand that he or she should talk with the trainer and seek help if experiencing any kind of pain or something that does not feel right. Try to promote pain free sports and activities.
Get a Preseason Physical: A preseason physical or back to school physical is a great way to determine if a young athlete is fit to play. Sports physicals help to provide any kind of access to any areas of concern for athlete’s before they start an activity. This will prevent them from further injury during the play.
Encourage Cross training and a variety of sports: But it is being advisable to the kids to change their playing games or the sports that continuously put some kind of stress or strain on the same muscles and joints repeatedly. Parents should be concerned about limiting the number of teams their athlete is on a given time and changing up the routine regularly.
Stress on Warming up: Stretching is an important warming up activity that should become a habit for all athletes’ to practice prior to sports. Jumping jacks and stretches keep the body fit and sound.
Make sure they rest: Athletes of all ages should make sure to rest in between practices, games and events. A lack of sleep or muscle fatigue generally predispose an athlete to injury often. Common injury found in an athlete is overuse of muscles in sports and events.
Healthy, well balanced diet is important: It is very much important for the athlete’s to maintain a well-balanced diet of vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and to maintain a regular eating schedule. For instance have the breakfast, lunch and dinner around the same time in each day.
Emphasize Hydration: Heat related illness is serious concern especially to the athletes during hot and humid days. Parents should make their children having adequate amount of water prior to their child going to the field for any sport or event.
Get the Proper Equipment: Protective equipment like helmet, hats, gloves shoes are very important for injury prevention. Parents should talk with the coaches prior starting of the event so that they have adequate time to prepare their child.
Stress on proper techniques and guidelines: Emphasize more on the techniques and guidelines of the sports involved.
Recognize Injury: It is mostly important for the parents to recognize injury and get help early and take their children out of the play.

So over viewing the tips of preventing the child from any sport injury, it is always advisable to the parents to enroll their children to a recognized sports community or centre where proper Kids health care is taken along with sport techniques.

Contented by: Kidsorthopedic.com