By Adeola Soetan
Lesson for us all to learn from during Inter- house sports in schools.
1. Proper first aid medical care & trained medical personnel should be on standby anytime.
2.. Athletes participating in Inter – House sports events should be properly tested medically, especially their BP. Although it’s rare children are not exempted from CA. (Cardiac Arrest)
3. Parents whose children have health issues or just recuperating from illness should not allow them to participate even if the students are the best athletes among their peers.
4. Dehydration is rampant now during this very hot dry season, enough water & glucose and wet towels should be made available
5. Well ventilated athletes’ pavilion for short rest after their events should be provided with fans. The idea of athletes going into classrooms or standing in the sun immediately after events they participated in is dangerous.
6. We shouldn’t overstretch the pupils or allow them to overstretch themselves, particularly the primary school pupils during events.
7. Girls on their period should be exempted to avoid bleeding. Athletes with soreness should be excused too.
8.. Teachers & game masters should pls start taking more close observations on the athletes during practice and “heat” preliminaries.
9. Parents that are medical doctors and nurses can volunteer as a medical team on standby to support the school’s first aid team.
10. Physical education and medical personnel should give a pep talk to athletes so they do have ideas of basic sport-related medical issues that may arise, eg muscle pull and the positive effects of sports activities
Lastly, I was trained by Red Cross as a first aider nominated by my school when I was a student of Rev. Kuti Memorial Grams, Abeokuta. I suggest that public and private schools should extend this opportunity for first aid training to willing students. The trainees should be part of the school medical corp
Adeola Soetan
Citizenship Civic Awareness Centre aka Democracy Vanguard
08037207856
