Dr. Niru Prasad, M.D., F.A.A.P., F.A.C.E.P.
Department of Urgent Care Center
St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Pontiac Department of Emergency Medicine West Bloomfield Center Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit
Royal Oak Pediatrics, Michigan
On behalf of the MAPI Editorial Board, I would like to
thank all our MAPI members and their spouses for their
active participation with MAPI activities. We wish all
of you a very happy and safe summer. As you know,
during the summer months there are more accidents,
injuries and heat related illnesses that could easily
be prevented by taking safety precautions. We have
added a health column to our MAPI Newsletter where
periodically we will talk about safety precaution tips
against injuries, sports, accidents and major health
illnesses. During this issue of the Mapigram, I have
included the guidelines to follow in order to protect
ourselves against heat related illnesses as well as
sports related injuries and prevention.
A: There are certain precautions children should
observe before participating with sports.
1. Dress appropriately for the particular
sport. For football, players should wear
helmets and shoulder pads as well as knee and
elbow pads. Wear facequards during wrestling
and football. Always wear comfortable shoes.
2. Good nutrition is essential when
participating in any sports activity. Eat
well balanced meals with supplemental vitamins
and iron and drink plenty of fluids including
balanced electrolyte solutions.
3. Stretching to loosen up muscles is
important before starting any sports activity.
4. Be aware of the weather changes. Wear
light, loose and layered clothing and in case
of lightning and thunderstorms, seek shelter
immediately.
5. Maintain the right posture while
performing daily tasks such as lifting,
pushing or pulling. Avoid quick jerky
motions.
What to do if an injury occurs at sports, remember RICE:
R - Rest to the involved limb to prevent further
damage.
I - Ice applied to the involved area will reduce
swelling.
C - Crutches for suspected bone injuries.
E - Elevation of the injured extremities will
maintain the blood circulation in the body.
Safety precaution tips while handling fireworks during
the Independence Day celebration:
1. Avoid handling wet fireworks since water might
degrade the explosive chemicals inside.
2. Avoid fireworks that are quite old or are leaking powder.
3. Use sparklers and safe fireworks.
4. Have a bucket of water ready when you are going to
start the fireworks.
5. Be sure other people are out of range or stand a
safe distance away while lighting fireworks.
6. Keep the unused fireworks safely our of reach of
children.
7. Always check and read the label on fireworks
before lighting.
8. The fireworks debris should be properly disposed
of in safe plastic bags.
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