Medical Information

Preparation:

Preparation is the key to the health of all who are participating in Trek, both the youth and the adults.  The more prepared you are as the Ma’s and Pa’s, the more helpful you will be to the youth in your family. Here are a few things that you can be doing now to help prepare yourself for Pioneer Trek.

Physical Conditioning

You will be walking between 3-6 miles a day.  Start training now, especially by walking outside.  The parkway nearby is a great resource for that.  Wear the shoes that you plan to take on Trek.  Make sure they are well broken in.

Hydration

Your body needs to be able to drink 80-120 ounces of water per day on the trail.  That could potentially be a lot more water than your body is accustomed to.  Start building up to that amount now, by increasing the amount of water you drink each day. 

Mosquitos and Ticks

Bug bites can be a problem. You will want to bring insect repellent. 

On the trail:

Ma’s and Pa’s are the eyes and ears of the medical team. It is impossible for us to be in direct contact with all the kids, but the medical team will do our best to be readily available to help. We do not expect you to have extensive medical knowledge, but we think it is in everyone’s best interest for you to know how to solve common problems before they grow, and what to watch out for. Most common problems are due to working hard in the hot sun and hiking long distances on rocky surfaces.

You will be informed of any medical needs any of your youth will have. Medical Specialists will be available 24/7 to help with any medical needs. Remember in any of these situations, a Priesthood blessing is comforting and often necessary.   Be prepared, know the information and then listen to the prompting of the Holy Ghost.

Blisters 

Each trekker will hopefully have shoes that are comfortable, and have been worn for a few months. Shoes should give protection from the sand and the rocky ground. Lightweight hiking shoes would be the best choice, but good running shoes are also fine. Hikers should avoid poorly constructed tennis shoes and sandals. Blisters form because of repeated rubbing of skin against the shoe’s surface. Once the blister is formed the damage is done and your youth will have to suffer the rest of the trek with a sore foot, so prevention is the key and it is also simple. On each break please make sure the youth do not have “hot spots” on their feet. Ask them if there are any warm spots or painful areas on their feet. Hot spots are pre-blister areas that feel different than the rest of the foot. They may be red and give a burning sensation to touch. Educate your youth to be aware of these symptoms and fix the problem before blisters form. Each family on trek will have their own first aid kit supplied with blister care items. Make sure they are easily accessible in the hand cart. When the hot spot forms, put a piece of moleskin, tape, or blist-o-ban dressing on the hot spot. Doing so will prevent further blister formation. If a blister forms, leave it intact unless it is causing severe discomfort. If the blister ruptures, then a dressing should be placed over the affected area. Call the Medical staff if the blister is large so that we can address it. 

Dehydration 

This is a serious problem and you will see it. It is simple to prevent, and as long as the youth are not overly dehydrated it is simple to treat. Make sure each youth is drinking 80-120 ounces of water a day.  All the handcarts will travel each day with 5 gallon water cooler on the cart. Check and fill water bottles at each stop to make sure they are drinking. Some youth will drink well and others need flavoring added to their water to make it more palatable. Sugar drinks will worsen dehydration unless they are very dilute. Half strength Gatorade or Powerade is a good example of replacement fluids. Soda pop will worsen the dehydration. Keep track of how much each youth drinks. This can be difficult, so it is easier to worry less about fluids going in instead focus on urination frequency. Our goal would be for each person to urinate three to four times a day--once a day means the person is dehydrated. Amber colored urine is a sign of poor hydration--light yellow is the proper color. Once dehydration sets in, the youth may become nauseated and unwilling to drink. At that point aggressive rehydration is necessary; they must drink and you should push them hard to do so. Please contact your medical person for assistance in these situations. 

Heat exhaustion 

The trek can be hot plus most of these youth are not used to working in the heat. Their body may not be able to cool like they need. This leads to heat exhaustion, which is a dangerous problem. A heat exhausted person can look flushed in the face, have abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, report a lack of energy and have profuse sweating. In heat exhaustion, they’re mental status is normal and they remain oriented. These people have overwhelmed their ability to cool themselves and need immediate help. Have the person stop walking sit or lay in the shade. Each trekking family should have a spray bottle to spray misted water. Once the person is in the shade, wet their hair, neck, armpits, shirt, face, arms, and legs. Drenching is not necessary, as just being damp will help with the cooling process. Have them drink large amounts of water, not just sips. Contact your medical advisor for assistance. Do not induce shivering with ice cold water on the skin, as this will worsen their overheating. If heat exhaustion continues, it may advance into heat stroke which is a medical emergency. Any change in mental status, such as signs of confusion or disorientation, is a sign of serious life threatening trouble. Contact your medical people immediately and begin cooling this person as described above. 

Sunburn 

Prevention is key. Neck, face, arms and legs seem to be the most common areas. Help them use sunscreen and reapply every few hours. Encourage the youth to wear their hats.  Covering their heads and shading their faces helps not only with sunburn, but with heat exhaustion. 

Once the skin is burned, it is best to cover the area with sunscreen, aloe, and then with clothing. Avoid direct sunlight. A bad sunburn is miserable so help them stay healthy. 

Chafing 

Chafing can be a real issue. Some kids will be shy about this so Ma’s should talk with the girls and Pa’s with the guys. Be sensitive to their privacy. If they are walking with a different gate suspect this problem and encourage application of ointment. Apply to the affected area runners or vaseline as needed. Spandex or lycra or other well fitting under clothing may help prevent this. 

The Daily Interview 

Some time during the day and every evening you should ask each kid the following questions: Have you urinated today? How many times? Is your urine clear? Any nausea, vomiting diarrhea, or abdominal pain? Any sore spots on your feet, or sore skin from sunburn or chafing? Have you taken your medications today? Do you feel good? If not, what is wrong? 

Daily interviews will help keep your kids healthy and happy. Please be discrete and aware that only in a private setting will they answer the questions. Whispering is always appreciated. Ma’s should interview the girls and Pa’s the boys, so that it is easier for the kids to answer personal questions. 

Please contact your medical adviser for any problems or concerns, and we will deal with them. We are there for you and your family, so please use us. A few other things to be aware of that are common problems:

Asthma:

Symptoms: Shortness of breath, wheezing sounds while trying to exhale

Treatment: Rest, calm victim, breath slow and deep, keep inhaler in pocket, not in the bottom of the cart.

Shock:

Symptoms: Weakness, confusion, dizziness, moist, cool, clammy skin, rapid weak pulse, nausea, vomiting and thirst.

Treatment: Eliminate cause of shock, lie down, feet up, keep warm. Get the medical team.

Snake Bite:

Symptoms: Puncture wounds and pain at site

Treatment: Clean wound with soap, water and antiseptic. Get the medical team.

Ticks:

Symptoms: Small insect firmly imbedded in skin

Treatment: Smear Vaseline over the tick's body. If it doesn’t back off, gently remove with tweezers.

We must be aware that mosquitoes can carry the West Nile Virus and ticks can carry lyme disease.. Make sure that each trekker carries insect repellent in pocket or in a near-by accessible place.  The insect repellent must contain 30% “deet” or more to be effective. 

EMERGENCY CONTACT: Gordon Beyer (801) 859-6293

Please note that there is limited cell phone coverage at Muddy Creek. If there is a family emergency and it is critical that your youth be contacted, please call Brother Gordon Beyer (801) 859-6293 who will attempt to check messages at least once daily. 

Please take the time to review this CPR video prior to trek.