Many of the 45 million children participating in organized sports are engaging in serious sports training and specialization at younger ages, which makes them more susceptible to potentially serious injuries. These injuries, that would only cause a sprain to a ligament or muscular strain in an adult, could cause serious growth plate injuries that could affect physical development in a child. U-M’s Laurie Donaldson, M.D., offers suggestions on how to protect children from sports injuries.