Price Transparency
Emergency Action Plan: Why It Is Important For Your Child’s Sports Organization To Have One

Emergency Action Plan: Why It Is Important For Your Child’s Sports Organization To Have One

by | Aug 3, 2020 | Sports Medicine

Shane M. Miller, M.D., thinks that every organization that values the health and safety of its athletes should have an emergency action plan. Miller, a pediatric sports medicine physician at Scottish Rite for Children, was invited as a guest expert in a conversation about emergency action plans (EAP) on a recent Healthy Young Athlete Podcast.

Miller’s expertise and experience as a sports medicine physician, team doctor, former firefighter and emergency medical technician and, as a parent and coach of his kids’ teams, together give him perspective in this conversation. He says, “Responding to emergency calls is very different at a school or venue that has an EAP in place vs. others where chaos can cause delays in accessing emergency medical care.”

What is an EAP?
It is a comprehensive detailed written plan that prepares for medical, environmental and security emergencies. It is developed and coordinated with local EMS, venue officials, medical personnel and organization administrators.

Why do you need one?
Fortunately, the majority of injuries we see in our sports medicine practices are relatively minor. Musculoskeletal injuries like ankle sprains and fractures or overuse injuries such as knee pain or stress fracture are more common, but catastrophic injuries and emergencies do occur. These may include cardiac events, severe neck or spinal cord injuries and exertional heat stroke.

What is covered in an EAP? 

EMERGENCY TEAM Who is involved when the plan is activated and what role each plays. This may include leaders in the organization (director/administrator), athletic trainer, team physician, etc. IT also addresses the training requirements for those roles – CPR, AED, first aid, concussion recognition or management. If no medical personnel present, who takes charge?

EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT, STATUS AND LOCATION 
For example, an automatic external defibrillator is only helpful if it is easy to find, charged, stocked with appropriate pads and readily accessible. Make sure personnel or attendees know where to find first aid supplies or a STOP THE BLEED® kit. 

COMMUNICATION Organized contact information for local emergency response systems including “9-1-1” and the address of the facility improves response time for calls. Additionally, a plan should include important people to contact in case of an emergency (athletes’ emergency contacts (parents), leaders of organization, medical team, etc..

MAPS Finding an injured athlete quickly requires access to venue-specific information including address, directions, maps, field numbers, location of gates and locks/keys, access points for emergency responders.

ROLES OF FIRST RESPONDERS Clearly defined personnel roles who provide first aid, equipment access and retrieval, calling EMS, directing EMS to the scene, removing equipment etc. 

TRANSPORT PLAN Local emergency facilities may or may not accept traumatic injuries. Collaborate with local EMS to decide and communicate where an injured athlete will be taken and how. 

DOCUMENTATION Record-keeping plans for all emergencies and near-emergencies and debrief discussions and findings. This helps with clearly documenting what occurred and provides information to help improve for the future. 

Making youth sports a safe experience is on the minds of many health care professionals, parents and coaches. An EAP is not a new idea, but unfortunately, may be new to some organizations. Don’t hesitate to speak up for safety and share these ideas with your children’s sports organizations.
Listen to a recording of the podcast hosted by Miller’s peer, Mark Halstead, M.D.

Need some more information? Check out these resources:

  • The Inter-Association Task Force Document on Emergency Health and Safety: Best-Practice Recommendations for Youth Sports Leagues I Learn more
  • National Athletic Trainers’ Association Position Statement: Emergency Planning in Athletics I Learn more
  • USA Recognize to Recover I Learn more
Texas Orthopaedic Association: A Look at the Evolution of Football Injuries

Texas Orthopaedic Association: A Look at the Evolution of Football Injuries

by | Sep 17, 2019 | Press Coverage, Sports Medicine

Have football injuries evolved through the years? 

Shane M. Miller, M.D., a sports medicine physician at Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center, recently spoke with Texas Orthopaedic Association about the evolution of football injuries and their treatment. 

“Increased awareness, media attention, and legislation have prompted even the most avid sports enthusiasts to evaluate the safety of participation in youth tackle football,” Miller says. 

Read the full interview. 

Teaming Up with Local Coaches to Help Keep Young Athletes Safe

Teaming Up with Local Coaches to Help Keep Young Athletes Safe

by | Aug 27, 2019 | General News, Sports Medicine

As pediatric sports medicine experts, our team is here to take care of injuries, but we spend much of our time working to help kids stay on the field. Through partnerships with organizations like the Frisco Family YMCA, we educate parents and coaches on ways to prevent injuries in young athletes.

Last night, we had the opportunity to share our top tips with volunteer soccer coaches from Frisco. Below is what we shared with them:

  • Many injuries can be prevented. Rules and proper equipment are designed to prevent injuries that involve another player or the environment. “Noncontact” injuries can be avoided with appropriate warm-up and using proper form in fundamental and sport-specific movements.
  • Athletes should not have pain during or after activity. When a young athlete complains of pain related to activity, please advise them to seek a medical evaluation. Responding to complaints of pain early can reduce missed playing time.
  • Concussions are not old news. Recognizing signs and symptoms of a concussion and immediately removing an athlete from play is the responsibility of everyone. Four in ten athletes return too soon and this can cause recovery to be delayed.
  • Varying sports can improve performance and prevent injuries. Studies of collegiate and professional athletes show that athletes who play more than one sport through high school will perform better and have less injuries.
  • Encourage good nutrition, hydration and sleep habits. Teach young athletes to take care of their bodies. They should learn early how to properly fuel, hydrate and rest.

Download a copy to share now.

Many young athletes stop playing sports because of burnout or injury. Trying new sports and learning good habits early, can improve performance, reduce injury risk and lessen the likelihood of early drop out from sports.

Learn more about pediatric sports medicine.

Keeping Your Young Athlete Safe

Keeping Your Young Athlete Safe

by | Apr 4, 2019 | Sports Medicine

“Infectious diseases are not uncommon in athletes who participate in team sports, whether it be through school or club sport,” says Jane S. Chung, M.D., Scottish Rite for Children sports medicine physician. “Adolescents in particular are not the best when it comes down to personal hygiene. They like to share, and while ‘bonding’ with teammates is important, they need to be aware that infections can be spread.”

Children and adolescents are most familiar with sharing upper respiratory infections through coughing and sneezing. In youth sports and other settings, infections are also spread through sharing gym towels, water bottles, helmets, mouthpieces, and other equipment. Kids need to know that good personal hygiene goes beyond covering a cough. Parents and coaches should help them prepare for sports by providing individual water bottles or cups and other personal gear such as helmets, mouthpieces, and towels. Coaches and sports organizations must also maintain and clean gym equipment, like mats and weight machines, between workouts. Many teams have access to showers, and athletes should be encouraged to shower before going to the next activity or class.

Tips to teach your young athlete to help minimize the spread of infections:

  • Shower or at least wash your hands after practice and competition, especially before eating.
  • Don’t share water bottles or cups.
  • Be careful not to touch blood or body fluids when an athlete is injured or ill.
  • Tell your parents about symptoms you have or others have reported.
  • Don’t go to practice or a game when you have signs or symptoms of an infection.
  • Tell the coach if you have an open wound, infection, or illness that your doctor says may be contagious.

Shane M. Miller, M.D., Scottish Rite for Children sports medicine physician, works closely with several schools and takes infection control seriously. He says, “We work with our partners to ensure we are meeting the recommended guidelines. All schools and teams should take time to evaluate their current practices and identify areas for improvement to reduce the risk of spreading infections.”

Review the table of 25 organisms identified as a concern for young athletes in this American Academy of Pediatrics Clinical Report: Infectious Diseases Associated With Organized Sports and Outbreak Control.

Learn more about injury prevention and pediatric sports medicine. 

Sports can benefit children with ADHD

Sports can benefit children with ADHD

by | Oct 25, 2018 | Sports Medicine

How are ADHD, sports and concussions linked? How can parents best guide their children to lead an active and healthy lifestyle, while calculating the benefits versus possible risks of participating in sports?

For children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sports can offer an outlet for excess energy and help the child focus, but they can also come with a higher risk of injury.

Sports medicine physician Shane M. Miller, M.D. spoke with DFW Child about the relationship between youth sports and ADHD. Miller also discussed concerns about a higher injury risk for children with ADHD, and wants parents to know the following when deciding whether to sign their kid up for athletics:

  • Reinforce positive behavior to help your athlete recognize accomplishments that motivates him or her to remain focused on the goals.
    “There are tremendous benefits to athletics for all children, and that doesn’t change for children with ADHD.”
  • Try to minimize distractions, when possible to prevent your athlete from getting distracted by unrelated sounds and movement.
    “While there is evidence that athletes with ADHD are at a higher risk for injury than athletes without ADHD, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should keep your child on the bench.”
  • Provide simple directions to help your athlete focus on one piece of information at a time.
    “In many cases, playing a sport can help a child with ADHD maintain attention, as athletic movements involving agility, balance and coordination often require intense focus.”
  • Provide consistency in daily routines to help your athlete stay on task and remember his or her responsibilities.
    “In fact, it has been found that even a short bout of exercise can eliminate distractions and help children with ADHD perform better on academic tasks. Many children with ADHD actually see an improvement in grades once they begin playing sports on a regular basis.”
  • Try several sports to help your athlete find a sport that is fun and motivates him or her to be active.
    “We encourage early sport sampling—trying a lot of different sports early on in their childhood to see what suits their abilities and interests. From there, it’s a matter of finding the right sport for your child’s abilities and understanding the precautions that you should take to minimize the risk of injury.”

35. A football player with the number 35 on his jersey
Finding the right activity and creating the right environment may take some time, but is an important step in understanding the precautions you may need to take.

Read more of the Dallas Child article featuring Dr. Miller.