Issue link: https://fredparent.uberflip.com/i/988823
www.FredParent.NET 17 Sponsored Material Join us for the live conversation on Q: When should kids start getting a sports physical? How is it different from a regular physical? A sports physical focuses on the child's health history and physical exam only as it relates to sports and is much more limited than a regular physical. Therefore, it does not take the place of a regular check-up. We offer sports physicals and regular well check- ups year-round. Q: At what age can kids safely start distance running? This is a complex question that has no clear answer. Distance running, and running in general, places three to six times the mechanical load on the skeleton over walking. We must remember that children are still growing and prone to injury from overuse. Thus, the International Marathon Medical Directors Association discourages marathon running before age 18. However, rates of obesity in children have skyrocketed. Exercise is paramount to combating obesity and necessary for cardiac health. Therefore, the American Academy of Pediatrics' position, due to the lack of evidence supporting or refuting the safety of kids running marathons, states, "There is no reason to disallow participation of a young athlete in a properly run marathon as long as the athlete enjoys the activity and is asymptomatic." I recommend a common-sense approach to distance running: "If it hurts, stop and rest." Participate in cross training and get lots of time off to allow joints and bones to recover from the stresses of running. Most of all try to keep it fun. And remember, if there is an injury, we are here to help. Q: What is "Nursemaid's elbow" and what do we do when/if it happens? Nursemaid's elbow is a common injury of early childhood that occurs when a child's arm is pulled and the elbow partially dislocates. The medical term is radial head subluxation. This injury usually occurs in children between 1 and 4 years old. It is a common injury because it usually takes very little force to pull the bones of a young developing elbow partially out of place. After the injury, the child will refuse to use the arm, holding it very still by their side with the palm of the hand turned toward the body. We can easily reset the elbow, quickly relieving any discom- fort and restoring arm movement. To help prevent this injury, lift a child by grasping them under the arms and try to avoid tugging or pulling on their hands or wrists. Do you have questions for The children's clinic of Fredericksburg? Be sure to watch our Facebook Live interview this month! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for information and updates. Facebook: @fredericksburgparent Twitter: @FredParent Instagram: @fredparentmagazine a sk t h e e x p e rt Q: How often should we reapply sun- screen on our kids? What SPF should be used? Reapply sunscreen of at least SPF 15 every 1–2 hours, or after swimming or sweating, according to the directions on the bottle . Remember it takes 30 minutes for sunscreen to be effective. Infants under 6 months old should avoid any prolonged direct sunlight. Q: If a child gets a sunburn, what are the best ways to treat it? You can treat a mild sunburn on your own by: • Giving your child water or 100 percent fruit juice to replace lost fluids. • Use cool water to help your child's skin feel better. • Give your child pain medicine to relieve painful sunburns. For a baby (6 months or younger), give acetaminophen, and for a child, give either acetaminophen or ibuprofen. • Only use medicated lotions under your pediatri- cian's direction. • Keep your child out of the sun until the sunburn is fully healed. If your baby is younger than 1 year and gets sunburn, call your baby's pediatrician right away. For older chil- dren, call your child's doctor if there is blistering, pain or fever. exercise is paramount to combating obesity and necessary for cardiac health.