Playing ball games and other sports has a good number of benefits for both children and adults. It is a good way to stay healthy. Constantly playing these types of sports can help in maintaining weight. In children, it also improves their timing and coordination skills, encourages their confidence, and enhances their social skills. It also aids in their academic status, as it improves their concentration. Moreover, these types of sports allow children to understand the value of teamwork and accepting defeat.
Ball games, though, are associated with risks. According to research, 51% of school sports injuries that children sustain are from playing ball games. These types of injuries can be prevented with the right safety gear and equipment. The following are viable methods to help your children safely play ball games.
Use Proper Gear and Equipment
Ball games have specific requirements for gear and equipment. If your kids are playing football, for instance, they should have proper football paraphernalia, such as a football mouth guard, helmet, shoulder pads, neck collars, cleats, jockstrap and cup, gloves, and pads for the thigh, knee, and hips. Wearing the right equipment and gear for the type of sports that one is playing can help guard against injuries.
Mouthguards are protective equipment that keep the mouth and teeth safe during the game. If not protected by a mouthpiece, serious injury to the jaw and teeth may occur. Helmets, on the other hand, protects ballplayers from head injury. Shoulder pads are designed to protect the shoulders of players against tackles. The other types of gear and equipment also have their own uses.
Ball game gear and equipment come in many different brands. While they all promise to shield against injury, they offer different levels of protection. Therefore, always check the characteristics of a gear or equipment before buying them for your child. When making a purchase, make an assessment based on these factors: materials, quality, testing and innovation. The right type of gear and equipment can help protect your child from injuries while playing sports.
Evaluate Your Child’s Capacity to Play Ball Games
Never let your children play ball games just because you want to see them play that particular type of sports. Consider their readiness and their passion for the game before making a decision. Is your child ready physically and psychologically? Overall, you should base your decision on the following factors: your child’s age, weight, and body build, your child’s passion for the sport, your child’s emotional development, and your child’s physical development. Taking these factors into consideration can help you protect your child from injuries that may traumatize them for a lifetime.
Keep Your Child Hydrated
Ball games are among the many types of sports that can drain body fluids fast. Sweat lost during the games can lead to dehydration if not replaced immediately. Dehydration can lead to adverse effects if not given proper attention. Keep your children hydrated when playing ball games by making them drink the right amount of fluid before, during, and after each game. Never let them drink caffeinated drinks or carbonated beverages. One cup of drinking water every 15-20 minutes is advisable, but sports drinks may also do.
Look for signs of dehydration while your child is playing or after they’ve had a tiring game. If they have the following symptoms, dehydration may be present. This may mean that your child is not drinking enough fluids to replenish the liquids lost during the game.
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Extreme thirst
- Slight weight loss
- Dark-colored urine
- Weakness
Give your child water or other types of healthy alternatives immediately when you see these signs.
Some injuries may still be inevitable despite taking certain measures to protect your child. But taking the right steps to safeguard them before, during, and after playing can help immensely in protecting them from severe injuries. If you do not know which type of gear or equipment is best for your child or the sports that they’re playing, ask the coach or other parents for a recommendation. Remember, each sport may require different types of gear, so you should always base your purchase on the type of sports your child is going to play.
With the various brands selling different types of sports gear in the market, it can be doubly hard to choose the best equipment for your child. Researching before making your purchase, though, can greatly help. A lot of websites offer great information on each type of gear, so you can easily wade through the bad ones and choose those that will best provide protection for your child.
