Health & Safety

Is your child using steroids? Here is the ten things experts say parents should look for.

Young players need to learn from their mistakes, as much as from their successes. Not only do they get confused if parents and coaches are constantly yelling criticism or plays, all that yelling can do long-lasting psychological damage.

By far the most important step a parent can take to protect her child from a sexual predator is to make sure the coach is never alone with a child. Demand that a two-adult rule be instituted. A two-adult rule not only protects the player but the coach: if he is never alone with a child then inappropriate behavior cannot be alleged. Private or closed practices are a red flag. If the coach wants to exclude you from practice, ask why.

Artificial turf fields are growing in popularity. At the same time, a debate is heating up about possible health risks, with more state and local governments getting involved.

As more and more communities build artificial turf fields, the debate about possible health risks and the advantages and disadvantages continues.

Because the potential risks associated with exposure to dust from worn artificial turf (which may contain lead) are not yet known, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that parents of youth athletes, particularly those under age 6, take certain precautions to minimize any potential risk.

Recommendations issued the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and its sister agency, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) on testing artificial turf products and reducing potential exposures to lead pending  further guidance from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) the receipt of more information about the absorption of lead from artificial turf products and its capability of harm.

Most experts agree that you should have your child undergo a thorough pre-participation physical evaluation or exam (PPE) every year. Not only can a PPE be an effective tool in identifying athletes who should not be playing sports because they have congenital heart defects or a history of concussions, but it is also useful in identifying medical problems effecting sports participation, such as asthma or the female athlete triad.