Medical Reports: Danger on the Field

WSVN -- The Perez brothers love their sports but know it can get pretty rough.

Pinder Perez: "We were having tackling drills, and I went to go wrap a kid, and he ran through my arm."

Dallas Perez: "I went to block the ball and jumped, and I landed, and a kid crashed down on the side of my leg, and my knee just popped."

Pinder broke his wrist, and Dallas tore a ligament in his knee. Both play football for the West Pines Wildcats. Dad is a coach.

Mario Perez: "Football is a contact sport and, unfortunately, you get to see some injuries that you don't want to see children suffer, but they do occur."

Local emergency room doctors say kids getting hurt on the field is nothing new.

Mario Perez: "By far the most common sports-related injuries that we see are trauma-related injuries."

The most common, head and neck injuries, broken bones, abdominal injuries and, of course, heat-related illnesses.

Dr. Peter Antevy, E.R. Doctor, Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital: "This is very difficult for a coach to tell. It looks like the child is having a viral illness, a little nausea, headache, they threw up."

Doctors say if a coach doesn't catch symptoms early on, a child's life can be in danger. That's why the Florida Youth Athletic Association teamed up with Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital to train coaches on how to handle medical emergencies on the field.

Dr. Peter Antevy: "The most important thing is to avoid a life-altering situation."

This handy coach's guide provides a quick reference when a player gets injured, from how to spot symptoms of a concussion, to the signs of heat exhaustion.

Mario Salceda: "There's an enormous comfort knowing that the person coaching your son or daughter is trained to handle any emergency on the field."

But doctors say parents must also make sure their child is prepared before heading out to play. Make sure they get a good night's sleep before a big game or practice. Keep them well hydrated, and if your child is on any medication, tell the coaching staff.

Mario Salceda: "So go far right, slot left, 38 wide with delay."

Pinder and Dallas are back on the field after recovering from their injuries. Now both are looking towards a bright future playing in the NFL.

Doctors say if a child is seriously injured on the field, get them to a safe place, stabilize them and get help right away.