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NEWS Family Medicine Outside the Doctors’ Office: Treating Students & Athletes
Preparing Kindergarteners Physicals for the First Year July 26, 2006 - We’re only a few official weeks into summer and children have many more lazy mornings and daytime romps with their friends left to go. Yet it’s already time to begin preparations for the next school year, especially for first-time kindergarteners. Cabarrus County and Kannapolis City School systems have 2500 kindergarteners registered to begin school this year. With state law requiring that all these children receive physical exams, Cabarrus Family Medicine has been very busy completing their Kindergarten Health Assessment Reports over the past several months. This report includes sight and hearing tests and a developmental screening. “We also track the children’s height and weight, making sure they’re continuing on the correct growth curve,” said Dr. Jeffrey Hoffman, clinic director at Cabarrus Family Medicine – Concord. The physician also notes any allergies, medications, or special diet of which the school would need to be notified. Perhaps the thing most people associate with kindergarten physicals – children also have to get those “back to school shots.” The Kids Health website (www.kidshealth.org) gives parents a few tips for helping your child cope with these injections:
Dr. Hoffman stresses the importance of checking immunization records for private school students, since the regulations for these schools are different than the public sector. To make sure your child is up-to-date on his shots, you can call your healthcare provider to request a copy of his immunization record. “A kindergarten physical really is more than just giving a child their shots and a check-up. It’s also about making sure that both the parent and child are mentally prepared for this big change,” Dr. Hoffman explained. The doctor’s biggest tip for kindergarten parents is to establish a bedtime before school starts. “First, start a bedtime that’s liberal and then gradually work up to an earlier time.” A good night’s sleep is key for good performance in school. Also, he says, teach kids about germs and the importance of hand-washing. This is especially true for children who have never been to daycare or had much prolonged group interaction with other children. For these children, “expect some upper respiratory illness until the immune system gets experienced,” Dr. Hoffman explained.
Kindergarten Kids’ Health & Safety Day Cabarrus Family Medicine will offer even more advice for these up-and-coming students and their parents at their Kindergarten Kids’ Health & Safety Day on August 12, from 9 am until noon. This event is cosponsored by Kidsville News! and Mugsy’s Meadows at Concord Mills. With the support of the local school systems, parents from all Cabarrus County, Kannapolis City, and area private schools will be invited to attend as an extended part of their kindergartener’s orientation. Along with Cabarrus Family Medicine, local school agencies, businesses and nonprofits will join in educating upcoming kindergarteners on how to stay safe, healthy and happy as first-time students. Children will learn tips on valuable topics such as lunchbox nutrition, playground safety, computer and Internet safety, peer pressure, bullying, sharing, and stranger awareness. Resources will also be available on local tutoring and literacy programs, after-school activities, nutrition programs and healthcare. Concord Fire & Life Safety will offer free car seat checks and have their Fire Safety House on site, and the Cabarrus Health Alliance will provide free immunizations for those children who haven’t been able to make it to the doctor’s office. “Planning this event has really been a partnership with the schools,” Jannette Kluttz, Executive Director of Community Relations at Cabarrus Family Medicine explained. “We’ve talked to administrators about what the issues are – about what kindergarteners and their parents need to know to make the transition into school smoother.” Part of Jannette’s role is working with area schools to find ways for Cabarrus Family Medicine to improve and assist with educational opportunities that empower individuals and families to make informed decisions regarding health & well-being. “I think as a family practice, that is definitely part of our responsibility in the community and, more importantly, it’s something we’re really interested in and passionate about,” Jannette admitted. Cabarrus County Schools are sending several representatives to present different topics at the event. They are using the Kindergarten Day as a way to get information out to parents that is sometimes difficult to find a way to communicate. Cabarrus County School’s Child Nutrition Program will set up a “Cafeteria Test Kitchen” where children can learn how to carry a lunch tray and what types of items they can choose. Parents will receive information on online prepay and other payment methods and procedures regarding their children’s lunches. Cabarrus County School's Transportation Department will bring Buster the Bus, a talking, remote-control school bus character that teaches children about school bus safety. “This is a great topic, because it will help children get used to the idea of riding the bus everyday by themselves – something they’ve never had to do before. I think this will get them excited about it instead of them being nervous on the first day,” Jannette elaborated. Parents will be able to register their children for kindergarten if they have not done so already. And the schools will also have information on curriculum expectations and supply lists. Jannette said, “We really want the event to help ease a lot of children’s and parent’s anxieties so that they can begin their first year at school feeling comfortable and prepared.” For more information about the Kindergarten Kids’ Health & Safety Day, visit www.CabarrusFamily.com.
Preparing Student Athletes Free Sports Physical Exams On April 13, 212 students lined up in the Kannapolis Middle School gymnasium ready to be weighed, vision and blood pressure checked, and height measured. This would complete their sports prescreening, the first part of a physical exam that would approve them to play sports for the following season. Every year, Cabarrus Family Medicine performs over 1000 of these prescreenings and sports physical exams for middle and high school students throughout Cabarrus County. They have been providing this free service for student athletes since 1996. If students make it through the prescreening, they will join the other athletes from their school at a designated Cabarrus Family Medicine office to receive their final sports physical exam. Cabarrus Family Medicine doctors, physician assistants, and residents volunteer to stay after regular clinic hours to perform these exams. Normally a sports physical would cost each child about $60, but Cabarrus Family Medicine offers this service free of charge. There is a $5 optional donation, which is given to the school’s sports medicine program. These contributions are used to pay for sports medicine supplies, which includes everything from splints to tape. “We provide these exams for free because we want every child who wants to play sports to be able to. We don’t want money to keep anybody from being able to participate,” Dr. Allen Dobson, President & CEO of Cabarrus Family Medicine explained. In addition to scheduling times for Cabarrus County and Kannapolis City Schools, Cabarrus Family Medicine even sees Cannon School’s student athletes and, in the past, has tested First Assembly. “We offer it to everyone,” Scott Barringer said. Barringer is the Sports Medicine Coordinator for the Cabarrus Family Medicine Residency Program and the Athletic Trainer for Cabarrus County Schools. In this dual role, he is responsible for organizing the free sports physicals. “Before, it was left up to each school to find their own doctor to do these physicals. Some schools weren’t able to get easy access to a physician. This gets the same opportunities to everyone,” he added. “There are 28 different sports in high school and 14 in middle school. These physicals are good for all of these activities.” The exams are performed at the end of the school year so that students will also be ready for summer workouts and sports or team camps. The physical is good for 365 days. On the Sidelines After the sports physical exams have been completed, Cabarrus Family Medicine’s job is not yet over. The group also provides coverage on the sidelines at all Cabarrus County & Kannapolis City high school football games. This is a tradition that began with Dr. Allen Dobson 23 years ago with Cabarrus Family Medicine’s inception. Dr. Dobson used to treat athletes on the sidelines in Mt. Pleasant, the location of the very first Cabarrus Family Medicine clinic. “It provides some reassurance to parents to have a physician there and some support for our excellent sports medicine trainers in the county. This is another way for us to support the families we take care of. As a family practice, we’re a part of the community, and these are our community’s schools,” said Dr. Dobson, President & CEO of Cabarrus Family Medicine. Now, each school in the county is assigned a Cabarrus Family Medicine provider who will be at each JV and varsity football game, and to complete their requirements for graduation, residents can sign up to cover any high school sport. “Family practitioners are well-trained to be team physicians because of their breadth of training, not only in musculoskeletal problems, but also in other general problems that would occur in an active population,” Dr. Kevin Burroughs, clinic director for Cabarrus Family Medicine’s Sports Medicine & Injury Center said. Dr. Burroughs also serves on the sidelines at Central Cabarrus High School. Some typical injuries that might occur on the field would include a concussion, sprain, strain, or fracture. Respiratory problems are also common in athletes, but this is more of a chronic problem treated in the clinic. Family physicians work closely with the athletic trainers at each school. “The athletic trainer is the initial responder to injuries and problems, and then we provide medical support to them,” Dr. Burroughs explained. Cabarrus is one of very few counties in North Carolina that has a certified athletic trainer at every one of its high schools. “Our county is really special in that way,” Dr. Dobson said. “I think because of our contributions, we’ve been able to get Cabarrus County the system that it has now.” Dr. Burroughs makes other contributions to high school sports, serving on the NC Medical Society Sports Medicine Committee and the NC High School Athletic Association Sports Medicine Advisory Board. Through these organizations, he helps determine certain rules and regulations that can affect the health of the athletes and makes recommendations regarding appropriate activity levels in school PE programs, for example.
Saturday Sports Injury Clinic Cabarrus Family Medicine has a Sports Medicine & Injury Center with two family medicine physicians specifically trained in sports medicine. Doctors Kevin Burroughs and Kate Walker both completed their primary care sports medicine fellowship through the Moses Cone Health System in Greensboro, NC. School athletes are one of the many types of patients they see at the Sports Medicine & Injury Center. In fact, when you walk in the door to their office, the waiting room is lined with framed jerseys from each of the county’s high schools, and matching helmets line the check-in counter. On Saturdays throughout the fall sports season, Dr. Burroughs offers a Saturday Sports Injury Clinic at Cabarrus Family Medicine’s Concord office at 270 Copperfield Boulevard. “We do this so that athletes injured at the Friday night game won’t have to wait until Monday morning to be able to see a doctor,” he said. This means that the Saturday Clinic is for acute injuries. Chronic problems are treated by a Cabarrus Family Medicine family physician during regular office hours. The Saturday Sports Injury Clinic is open from 9-10 AM, and no appointment is necessary to be seen. For athletes under the age of 18, a parent or team representative with written consent from the parent must be present. For more information about the Saturday Sports Injury Clinic, call Cabarrus Family Medicine’s Concord office at 704-786-6521. For more information about the Sports Medicine & Injury Center, call them directly at 704-782-HURT (4878).
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