Reducing Injuries in the School Environment

Scenario :

Jonathon and four of his boyfriends attend the after school program at Cedar Elementary School. Approximately 50 fourth and fifth graders are supervised by three   community recreation employees every Monday through Wednesday afternoons. Children are allowed free-play on playground equipment and are also encouraged to participate in seasonal organized sports.

       Anxious to play on the new high bar recently installed at the school, Jonathon dared his four friends to follow him. He immediately ran to the equipment; shinnied up the 12 foot frame; hand-over hand slid to the middle of the high bar; and suspended himself hanging above the ground. His friends called to him to cross back over to the frame and slide back down to the ground. Seeing Jonathon on the high bar, several other children gathered around and began to chant, "Jump, Jonathon, Jump!" Before the supervising adults could reach the area, Jonathon had released his hands from the bar and fallen the twelve feet to the ground. Upon impact, Jonathon heard his ankle pop, felt excruciating pain, and passed out.
   

Discussion Questions

    1. Ten to twenty-five percent of the 22,000,000 injuries to children in the United States

        occur in and around school. Discuss four reasons injuries in the school environment

        are often unrecognized and preventive measures neglected.                          

    2. How might this accident have been prevented (reflect on the CDC School Prevention Guidelines)?

    3. Compare the procedure for initiating medical treatment for a child who has a completed
        school medical emergency card and a child  who does not.

    4. What injury risk characteristics are apparent in the above scenario (reflect injury data from
         the readings).


Internet links: Information from the following five links will assist you in responding to the above questions.

Violence & Injury Prevention Program

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5022a1.htm 

http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/index.html  (read both fact sheets listed under
Home and Recreational safety (left panel) "Playground injuries")

http://www.schoolnurse.com/med_info/accident.html

Page developed by  Jermaine Neal as part of his honor's project in school health