Overall I learned quickly that my job consisted of flustered coaches that shuttled crying campers my way for me to console them. At first I wasn't phased by it, but after a while I thought there needed to be a little more autonomy with handling the reactions of first grade to eighth grade children by them.
Ya gotta let them cry a bit, rub it out, ask them if it moves, and send them on their way. Simple enough.
Observing most the kids, I saw a few whose personalities I could detect whether or not I would have to discourage babying and who's injuries warranted a more concerned response.
Up to this point, I had been covering bandaids and icing sprains. Until I saw one of my secretly favorite campers quietly sitting by his father on the bleachers.
This was really uncharacteristic of him and I went over to him to see the issue. When I came up to him, he complained of being cold and was shivering quite a bit. I asked him where the pain was and he said he was having trouble walking. The onset came on gradually the day before and he only noticed it when he had played during the morning and then sat for an hour or so after during lunchtime. When I performed dermatomes along his legs, he said that he had no sensation in them. I probably asked several times just to make sure.
I called the head Gatorade athletic trainer and he came and assessed him as well. He pinched areas of his lower leg and the kid said he could feel that at least. The camper was also able to perform some contractions against resistance, but with difficulty. There was pain down both legs, but not sharp. He was very quiet so it was difficult to determine exactly what the symptoms were. We sent him to the hospital with premonitions of a possible blood clot or DVT or something.
The next day I found out the camper had been diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis. He had to be given an IV with fluids.
This has made me motivated to study these illnesses.
Ya gotta let them cry a bit, rub it out, ask them if it moves, and send them on their way. Simple enough.
Observing most the kids, I saw a few whose personalities I could detect whether or not I would have to discourage babying and who's injuries warranted a more concerned response.
Up to this point, I had been covering bandaids and icing sprains. Until I saw one of my secretly favorite campers quietly sitting by his father on the bleachers.
This was really uncharacteristic of him and I went over to him to see the issue. When I came up to him, he complained of being cold and was shivering quite a bit. I asked him where the pain was and he said he was having trouble walking. The onset came on gradually the day before and he only noticed it when he had played during the morning and then sat for an hour or so after during lunchtime. When I performed dermatomes along his legs, he said that he had no sensation in them. I probably asked several times just to make sure.
I called the head Gatorade athletic trainer and he came and assessed him as well. He pinched areas of his lower leg and the kid said he could feel that at least. The camper was also able to perform some contractions against resistance, but with difficulty. There was pain down both legs, but not sharp. He was very quiet so it was difficult to determine exactly what the symptoms were. We sent him to the hospital with premonitions of a possible blood clot or DVT or something.
The next day I found out the camper had been diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis. He had to be given an IV with fluids.
This has made me motivated to study these illnesses.