Docs warn of pompom peril

Cheerleading has become so potentially dangerous that the American Academy of Pediatrics is calling for it to be designated as a sport to improve safety.

In a new policy released online yesterday in the journal Pediatrics, the group says school sports associations should designate cheerleading as a sport, making it subject to safety rules and better supervision, including on-site trainers, limits on practice time and better-qualified coaches.

It also urges that cheerleaders be required to undergo physical exams and conditioning programs before joining a squad.