Medical conditions affecting sports participation

Most children with chronic health problems should be allowed to participate in athletic activities, according to guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics. In order to assist physicians in counseling their patients, sports are classified into three categories, 1: contact/collision, meaning contact or collision is an intentional part of the sport or a common event, as in football or soccer; 2: limited contact, meaning contact is occasional or inadvertent as in baseball or skating; or 3: noncontact, as in running or skiing. Limited contact does not imply the sport is not dangerous. Common medical conditions are evaluated with respect to participation in sports, and sports are also categorized by strenuousness, another factor that affects participants with cardiovascular or pulmonary disease. The physician must use clinical judgment in applying guidelines to an individual patient.