Living in rural New Waterford, Ohio, 19-year-old Joey Hawkins grew up fishing, hunting, motocross racing and dirt biking. “Joey prefers activities that give me heart palpitations and usually end up with cuts, bruises or stitches,” joked his mom, Angie. “He’s been a daredevil since the age of 3.” In November 2022, Joey and some friends […]
Should student athletes take supplements?
Many teens drawn to performance-enhancing supplements think because they’re sold in stores, they must be safe and effective. But, Dr. Christopher Liebig, a sports medicine physician at Akron Children’s, says most of it’s false advertising aimed at selling products. “There’s little to no proof they will make you bigger, stronger or faster. They’re not regulated, […]
Do young athletes need sports or energy drinks?
Sports and energy drinks fueled with caffeine are commonly consumed by kids and teens. While sports drinks, which contain carbohydrates and electrolytes (potassium and sodium), were invented to keep athletes hydrated and enhance their performance, research shows they are unnecessary for kids engaged in routine or play-based physical activity. “Most experts agree that the length […]
Online rewind: Our top content of 2022
From inspirational patient stories to tips on how to be the best parent you can be, we’ve shared hundreds of photos, videos and blogs throughout 2022. Here are the ones that made the biggest impact on you. Facebook 1. Halloween around the hospital 2. Preschool students at Norwalk Catholic School learning about the body/medical field […]
What to expect when your child has an ACL injury
One of the risks of playing sports is getting hurt. Obviously, some sports are more dangerous than others, but unfortunately, latest research shows ACL injuries are on the rise among young athletes. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), ACL tears in kids ages 6 to 18 have increased about 2.3 percent each year […]
6 tips to balance school and sports
Anyone with young athletes at home knows how quickly daily schedules fill up. To help kids balance school, sports and fun, Allyson Weldon, PhD, sports psychologist at Akron Children’s suggests teaching kids time management early so they are better at it as they grow. “Time management is a hard skill for many people to learn, […]
