Dear Editor
We read with interest the article by Akkuş et al. that is entitled ‘Challenges Confronted by Pediatricians in Managing Pediatric Athletes: Awareness on Pediatric Sports Medicine’, which underscores the necessity of establishing Pediatric Sports Medicine (PSM) as a subspecialty within pediatrics [1].
From the standpoint of pediatric emergency care, the importance of this initiative is particularly evident. Emergency departments frequently encounter young athletes presenting with a wide spectrum of sport-related problems, including acute injuries, overuse syndromes, dehydration, syncope and cardiopulmonary complaints [2]. A considerable proportion of these cases are referred to pediatric emergency services by sports physicians, as they are not familiar with medical care of children and adolescents who are not simply ‘small adults’ [3], reflecting the close interface between pediatric emergencies and Pediatric Sports Medicine.
Another important aspect that deserves attention in the discussion of pediatric athletes is the issue of doping and the inappropriate use of performance-enhancing substances. Although less frequently highlighted in pediatric populations compared to adults, emerging data suggest that adolescents engaged in competitive sports may resort to supplements or prohibited substances in pursuit of improved performance [4]. Such practices not only pose significant ethical concerns but also carry substantial health risks, including metabolic, cardiovascular and psychological complications. In addition, in pediatric emergency departments, we may use various medications like morphine derivatives and steroids, which are considered performance-enhancing substances and ‘doping’ [5]. A dedicated Pediatric Sports Medicine discipline could play a pivotal role in addressing this problem through preventive strategies, education of young athletes and their families, and early detection of risky behaviors. Therefore, we think that the phenomenon of doping might have been more elaborately discussed in the article.
The formal recognition of PSM under the umbrella of pediatrics would facilitate a more structured and multidisciplinary approach to the care of young athletes. Such integration would promote effective collaboration between pediatricians from different subspecialties, thereby ensuring both comprehensive and continuous management. In addition, it would contribute to the prevention, early recognition, and appropriate treatment of sport-related health issues in children and adolescents.
In light of the growing participation of children in organized sports and the unique challenges encountered in emergency practice, we strongly endorse the establishment of Pediatric Sports Medicine within pediatrics as a critical step toward advancing not only athletic performance, but also health and safety of children.
Acknowledgments
Esra Türe and Ahmet Kağan Özkaya contributed to data curation and writing – original draft.
Funding Statement
The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Data availability statement
Data sharing does not apply to this article as no data was created or analyzed in this study.
References
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Associated Data
This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.
Data Availability Statement
Data sharing does not apply to this article as no data was created or analyzed in this study.