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hvparent.com ■ Hudson Valley Parent 25 Warm, Child Friendly Atmosphere Children with Special Needs Welcome! Specializing in Children from Infancy to Teens Emergencies Treated with Courtesy & Kindness Nitrous oxide (laughing gas), oral sedation and general anesthesia available Thank you to all of the HVParent readers who selected Dr. Geri-Lynn Waldman as a 2014 Favorite Doc! 465 E Main Street Middletown, NY 10940 (845) 343-8212 BRACES AND INVISALIGN FOR CHILDREN, TEENS, AND ADULTS. Beautiful, Stunning Smiles that will Last a Lifetime Where you are always treated as an individual, not a number • No more goopy gaggy materials with our high-tech digital impressions • Hurry in for our interest-free fi nancing and affordable payment plans! • Actual Patients Treated by Dr. Pachter can be tracked so they don't return to sports prematurely. Strong defense Strength training and conditioning can help a child ward off injury. Mi- cheli and Goolsby both recommend age-appropriate weight lifting under proper supervision. Stronger muscles provide greater stability and balance for jumping, landing, turning, throw- ing, and other strenuous moves. Growing caution According to Micheli, kids are especially vulnerable to injury during growth spurts. If your child is grow- ing (sudden increases in appetite and sleep needs are signs of a growth spurt), take extra safety precautions. Protect practice Safety procedures for games and meets should be upheld at practice, too. Over 60 percent of sports-relat- ed injuries happen during practice, where safety standards are often more relaxed. Make practice safer by insisting on protective gear, rest, hydration, and other safety measures at practices. Superior supervision Sports medicine experts agree that parents should be aware of the level and quality of adult supervision for their children's sports teams. Creden- tials and experience for coaches var- ies widely, particularly in community sports programs. School-sanctioned sports programs benefit from access to athletic trainers and conditioning facilities, while community-based sports programs often don't, he says. Childhood sports set the stage for a lifetime of healthy, active living. With the right safety precautions, sports-loving kids can stay safe and keep running, pitching, throwing, jumping, and cheering for years to come. Malia Jacobson is a health journal- ist and mom who is married to a high school varsity basketball coach.