[Tasks and significance of investigations in paediatric sport medicine (author's transl)].

Hitherto there have been hardly any paediatric investigation into the effect of sport on children,--apart from physiological ones, (Rutenfranz). Yet these days children take part in sporting activities as a matter of course, and frequently very heavy demands are made on them. It therefore appeared appropriate to initiate these investigations. The basic requirements for the evaluation of the physical capacity of each individual child are successive examinations of the effects of each type of sport on the cardiovascular system, pulmonary function, locomotor system, metabolism, and the psychology of healthy children. The following investigations are therefore deemed desirable: electrocardiogram, respiration rate, respiratory volume, respiratory gas analysis, blood pressure, body temperature, electro-encephalogram, electro-myogram, gravity and pressure (acceleration) effects, and psychological assessment. It is necessary to examine both the immediate stress and strain, on the child, which can at times assume dangerous proportions, as well as the more long-term effects which can be of a positive nature (effect of training), or of a negative nature (detriments). A further basic of paediatric sport investigations is the evaluation of consequences of climate and altitude in relation to sport. But one must also examine the effects of individual types of sport on children with diseases of the heart, lungs, metabolism, locomotor system, and central nervous system, from the point of view as to which type of sport can be expected of such children which might be beneficial or might be detrimental. Paediatric sport examination should also demonstrate ways and means how disadvantageous effects of sport can be avoided and as a consequence, the results of the serial investigations must be of benefit in the assessment and counselling of the individual child.