The First Term Back: Common School Injuries and How to Handle Them
A few weeks into the new school year, the pattern is predictable. Playgrounds are busier, PE lessons are back in full swing, and the same handful of everyday injuries start showing up in first aid rooms and at the school gate, whether that's a primary school in Winton, a secondary school in Poole, a village school out near Wimborne or Ferndown, or anywhere else across Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Dorset. According to RoSPA, around 40,000 children under 15 need medical attention for playground injuries in the UK every year. The vast majority are minor, but it's worth knowing how to handle them properly regardless.
This one's for parents as much as school staff. Knowing what's genuinely routine, what needs a bit more care, and what needs urgent help takes the panic out of the phone call home.
Falls: still the number one cause
RoSPA's data is consistent. Around 80% of playground accidents involve a fall, and fractures account for a large share of the more serious injuries that follow, especially to the upper limbs such as wrists, arms, and collarbones. Separate paediatric A&E data shows open wounds, minor head injuries, and ankle sprains among the most common reasons children attend after playground incidents.
For a minor fall involving grazes or bumps with no obvious deformity:
Clean any graze with water and cover with a plaster or dressing if needed.
Apply a cold compress to any bump or bruise.
Watch for any change in behaviour over the following hours, particularly after a knock to the head.
For a suspected fracture or dislocation, where there's deformity, an inability to move or bear weight, or significant swelling:
Don't try to straighten or realign the limb.
Support it in the position found, using a cushion, rolled towel, or sling if you have one.
Get medical help. A minor injuries unit or A&E for straightforward cases, 999 for anything involving the head, neck, back, or an open fracture.
Head bumps: knowing when it's more than a bump
Most playground head knocks are exactly that, a knock, not a concussion. But it's worth knowing the signs that mean more caution is needed.
Loss of consciousness, even briefly
Vomiting after the injury
Increasing drowsiness or difficulty waking
Confusion, or not being themselves
A headache that's getting worse rather than better
Any clear fluid coming from the nose or ears
If in doubt, the same principle used in grassroots sport applies here too. Sit them out, remove the child from further activity, monitor closely, and seek medical advice.
Sprains and strains
Ankle and wrist sprains are common enough at school to be almost routine, particularly during PE and break time games. The standard first aid approach is PRICE.
Protect the area from further injury
Rest it
Ice for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, wrapped in a cloth rather than direct on skin
Compression with a bandage, not so tight it cuts off circulation
Elevation above heart level where practical
Seek medical help if the child can't bear any weight on it, the swelling is severe, or it isn't improving after a couple of days.
Nosebleeds
Common, rarely serious, but worth doing properly.
Sit the child down and lean them slightly forward, not back. Leaning back risks blood running down the throat.
Pinch the soft part of the nose, just below the bony bridge, for a full 10 minutes without checking.
Encourage breathing through the mouth.
Seek medical help if bleeding hasn't stopped after 20 minutes, or if it followed a significant blow to the head or face.
Asthma attacks during PE and sport
Exercise is a common trigger, which makes PE lessons and sports fixtures a realistic setting for an asthma attack to happen, sometimes for the first time.
Help them sit up, never lie them down, and stay calm.
Give their reliever inhaler, usually blue, one puff every 30 to 60 seconds, up to 10 puffs. If they use an AIR or MART style combination inhaler, the dosing is different, one puff every 1 to 3 minutes up to 6 puffs, so it's worth knowing which type a child has been prescribed.
Use a spacer if they have one. It makes the medication more effective and is standard practice for children.
Call 999 if they don't improve after their maximum dose, if they don't have their inhaler with them, or if they're getting worse at any point.
If the ambulance hasn't arrived within 10 minutes and symptoms aren't improving, repeat the inhaler dose.
Never assume a child is being dramatic or seeking attention during breathing difficulty. Acting quickly costs nothing if it turns out to be mild. Hesitating can cost a great deal if it isn't.
What this means for schools across Bournemouth and Dorset
Beyond treating individual injuries, this is also the point in the term worth checking:
First aid kits used for PE and playground duty are properly stocked and haven't been quietly depleted since July
Staff covering lunch and break duties, not just designated first aiders, know the basics of the injuries above
Individual healthcare plans for pupils with asthma, allergies, or other conditions have actually been read by the staff supervising them this term, not just filed
Accident logs are being kept consistently from day one of term, not started retroactively once something more serious happens
FAQ
How common are playground injuries in UK schools? Around 40,000 children under 15 need medical attention for playground injuries each year in the UK, according to RoSPA, with falls responsible for around 80% of accidents.
When should a child see a doctor after a fall at school? If there's a suspected fracture, loss of consciousness, ongoing vomiting, increasing drowsiness, or confusion following a head injury. Straightforward grazes and bumps can usually be managed with basic first aid.
How should a nosebleed be treated? Lean the child forward, not back, and pinch the soft part of the nose for a full 10 minutes without checking. Seek medical help if bleeding hasn't stopped after 20 minutes or followed a significant facial injury.
What should I do if a child has an asthma attack during PE? Sit them up, give their reliever inhaler as prescribed, up to 10 puffs for a standard blue inhaler or up to 6 for an AIR or MART inhaler, and call 999 if they don't improve, don't have their inhaler, or are getting worse.
What's the correct first aid for a sprain at school? Follow PRICE. Protect the area, Rest it, apply Ice for 15 to 20 minutes, use Compression with a bandage, and Elevate it. Seek medical help if the child can't bear weight or swelling is severe.
Where can Bournemouth and Dorset schools book paediatric first aid training? Cracking Training runs fully regulated Paediatric First Aid and Emergency First Aid at Work courses for schools and nurseries across Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Wimborne, Ferndown, and the rest of Dorset.
Cracking Training's Paediatric First Aid and Emergency First Aid at Work courses equip school staff across Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, and the rest of Dorset to handle exactly these situations with confidence. See our upcoming courses or get in touch to get your team properly prepared for the rest of the school year.
Comments