Sports injuries among children in the United States are very common. Out of approximately 30 million teenagers and children, 14 years of age and under, who participate in sports, about 3.5 million are injured every year. In fact, a full third of injuries suffered by children are related to sports.
Contact sports like football are the most dangerous that children can participate in. However, every sport — no matter what it is — has the potential to injure a child. Fortunately, most sports-related injuries among children are strains and sprains, but some can be very serious. The deadliest sports injuries suffered by children are brain injuries.
Over 775,000 children 14 years of age and under are taken to hospital emergency rooms for sports injuries every year. Usually, the injuries happen after a fall, getting hit by an object, collisions or overexertion. Furthermore, about 62 percent of injuries happen when children are attending practice for their sport.
When it comes to the most dangerous sport for children, football is the leader, sending about 215,000 children between the ages of 5 and 14 to hospital emergency rooms each year. Basketball comes in a close second, with 170,000 children in the same age range going to the emergency room every year. The prevalence of injuries in these sports may also be a reflection of how popular they are, but parents with children participating in any sport should be careful to ensure their children are taking safety precautions to prevent injuries.
Sometimes a child sports injury is not merely an accident but is a reflection of the negligence of coaches and sports league organizers. New York parents of children who were seriously injured in a sports related accident may, therefore, wish to speak with a personal injury attorney to investigate whether their child may have a viable claim to seek financial restitution for his or her injuries in court.
