Call for Abstracts The American Pediatrie Society, The Society for Pediatrie Research, and the Ambulatory Pediatrie Association announce that the abstract deadline for the 1993 annual meeting (May 3-6, 1993, Washington [DC] Sheraton Ho¬ tel) is January 5,1993. For further in¬ formation, contact the APS/SPR Association Headquarters, 141 Northwest Point Blvd, PO Box 675, Elk Grove Village, IL 60009-0675
([708] 427-0205; fax, [708] 427-1305),
the APA Headquarters, 6728 Old McLean Village Dr, McLean, VA 22101 ([703] 556-9222). or
Coaches: A Missing Link in the Health Care
System Sir.\p=m-\RichardAdams, MD, Director of Health Services for the Dallas (Tex) Independent School District, shared with me the interesting article by Brown and Butterfield.1 I was pleased to see that the authors realize how important coaches are as role models, instructors, and general disseminators of vital information to youth. It is indeed time to realize that our society wants the best of two worlds: a strong, well\x=req-\ planned, effective program that balances academics and athletics. Health care has been an issue with coaches and athletes as long as competitive athletics have existed. When I was a junior and senior high-school athlete in the 1950s, my coach demanded that each of his athletes develop proper attitudes, and corresponding habits, toward maintaining a healthy body and mind. These attitudes included recognition that smoking was hazardous to our health, and that proper rest, diet, and sleep were vital to it. Using alcohol was reason for disciplinary action. He also paid atten¬ tion to the protective equipment we
in
effort to prevent injur¬ warned us about the of sexual activity. consequences The missing link is not the coach; the missing link, from my perspec¬ tive, is acknowledgment of the ma¬ jor contribution that coaches make toward the development of the whole child. This brings to mind the "revolutionary" idea that aca¬ demicians call "team teaching." Coaches have been team teaching for years, out of necessity. Certifica¬ tion of coaches is not the real issue. The philosophy of the school dis¬ trict that employs the coach is more crucial than the certification criteria. Staff development activities con¬ ducted by the athletic director in concert with local health care pro¬ fessionals set the tone in the Dallas Independent School District. We work with our Health Services De¬ partment to establish ties with our local health care community. This joint effort allows us to provide the maximum quality of care to our athletes. Our primary focus is pre¬ ventive, yet we realize that a strong program of rehabilitation must wore
ies, and
an
even
exist. Brown and Butterfield stated: " Clear¬ ly, coaches have the potential to in¬ fluence in a positive way the lives of the many student athletes they en¬ counter." Most coaches lead the way in positively influencing students and student athletes. I applaud the authors and their recognition of the value of
coaches, athletics, and health our
most
precious assets,
JOHN E. KINCAIDE
our
care
of
youth.
Athletics and Student Activities Dallas Independent School District 3700 Ross Ave Dallas, TX 75205-5491
1. Brown BR Jr, Butterfield SA. Coaches: a link in the health care system. AJDC.
missing
1992;146:211-217.
In Reply. \p=m-\Weapplaud the administrative and educational support that
Kincaide provides for the coaches who work in the Dallas Independent School District. Clearly, certification does not guarantee that any individual coach will demonstrate the attributes that we described in our article. However, certification offers the simplest way to expose coaches to uniform standards of coaching that have been proved effective. We assume that this exposure can only increase the effectiveness and enthusiasm that coaches bring to the playing field. These coaches are then in a position to form a critical mass that can recruit the administrative infrastructure where they work, the parents of the athletes who play under them, and, most importantly, the athletes themselves, in a coordinated effort to better meet the health care needs of students. Mr
BRUCE R. BROWN, JR, MD Eastern Maine Medical Center Adolescent & School Health
Program
417 State St Bangor, ME 04401 STEPHEN A. BUTTERFIELD, PHD Department of Physical Education University of Maine 103 Lengyel Hall Orono, ME 04473
Treatment of Water Intoxication With
Mannitol Sir.\p=m-\Weread with interest the article
by Keating et al,1 published in the September 1991 issue of AJDC. We certainly agree with the authors' conclusion that this entity is underreported and may constitute a major problem within the poverty-stricken inner-city population. However, we would like to suggest an alternative mode of therapy that we have used during the past 8 years to treat the cerebral edema that can result from
Downloaded From: http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/ by a University of Pennsylvania User on 06/19/2015
([708] 427-0205; fax, [708] 427-1305),
the APA Headquarters, 6728 Old McLean Village Dr, McLean, VA 22101 ([703] 556-9222). or
Coaches: A Missing Link in the Health Care
System Sir.\p=m-\RichardAdams, MD, Director of Health Services for the Dallas (Tex) Independent School District, shared with me the interesting article by Brown and Butterfield.1 I was pleased to see that the authors realize how important coaches are as role models, instructors, and general disseminators of vital information to youth. It is indeed time to realize that our society wants the best of two worlds: a strong, well\x=req-\ planned, effective program that balances academics and athletics. Health care has been an issue with coaches and athletes as long as competitive athletics have existed. When I was a junior and senior high-school athlete in the 1950s, my coach demanded that each of his athletes develop proper attitudes, and corresponding habits, toward maintaining a healthy body and mind. These attitudes included recognition that smoking was hazardous to our health, and that proper rest, diet, and sleep were vital to it. Using alcohol was reason for disciplinary action. He also paid atten¬ tion to the protective equipment we
in
effort to prevent injur¬ warned us about the of sexual activity. consequences The missing link is not the coach; the missing link, from my perspec¬ tive, is acknowledgment of the ma¬ jor contribution that coaches make toward the development of the whole child. This brings to mind the "revolutionary" idea that aca¬ demicians call "team teaching." Coaches have been team teaching for years, out of necessity. Certifica¬ tion of coaches is not the real issue. The philosophy of the school dis¬ trict that employs the coach is more crucial than the certification criteria. Staff development activities con¬ ducted by the athletic director in concert with local health care pro¬ fessionals set the tone in the Dallas Independent School District. We work with our Health Services De¬ partment to establish ties with our local health care community. This joint effort allows us to provide the maximum quality of care to our athletes. Our primary focus is pre¬ ventive, yet we realize that a strong program of rehabilitation must wore
ies, and
an
even
exist. Brown and Butterfield stated: " Clear¬ ly, coaches have the potential to in¬ fluence in a positive way the lives of the many student athletes they en¬ counter." Most coaches lead the way in positively influencing students and student athletes. I applaud the authors and their recognition of the value of
coaches, athletics, and health our
most
precious assets,
JOHN E. KINCAIDE
our
care
of
youth.
Athletics and Student Activities Dallas Independent School District 3700 Ross Ave Dallas, TX 75205-5491
1. Brown BR Jr, Butterfield SA. Coaches: a link in the health care system. AJDC.
missing
1992;146:211-217.
In Reply. \p=m-\Weapplaud the administrative and educational support that
Kincaide provides for the coaches who work in the Dallas Independent School District. Clearly, certification does not guarantee that any individual coach will demonstrate the attributes that we described in our article. However, certification offers the simplest way to expose coaches to uniform standards of coaching that have been proved effective. We assume that this exposure can only increase the effectiveness and enthusiasm that coaches bring to the playing field. These coaches are then in a position to form a critical mass that can recruit the administrative infrastructure where they work, the parents of the athletes who play under them, and, most importantly, the athletes themselves, in a coordinated effort to better meet the health care needs of students. Mr
BRUCE R. BROWN, JR, MD Eastern Maine Medical Center Adolescent & School Health
Program
417 State St Bangor, ME 04401 STEPHEN A. BUTTERFIELD, PHD Department of Physical Education University of Maine 103 Lengyel Hall Orono, ME 04473
Treatment of Water Intoxication With
Mannitol Sir.\p=m-\Weread with interest the article
by Keating et al,1 published in the September 1991 issue of AJDC. We certainly agree with the authors' conclusion that this entity is underreported and may constitute a major problem within the poverty-stricken inner-city population. However, we would like to suggest an alternative mode of therapy that we have used during the past 8 years to treat the cerebral edema that can result from
Downloaded From: http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/ by a University of Pennsylvania User on 06/19/2015
