Unsteady After a Playground Fall

Case overview

Daniel Lee has seen plenty of ordinary playground tumbles. Omar Reed usually brushes them off faster than anyone. This time, after landing under the climbing structure, Omar stands up too quickly, pauses, and takes two uneven steps toward the bench. He insists he can rejoin the game. Daniel notices that Omar is quieter than he was a minute ago and keeps looking down when questions are asked. Other students are waiting for the game to restart, but Daniel knows the next decision is not about keeping recess on schedule. He needs to separate what he saw happen from what Omar says he wants to do, keep him with an adult, and use the school’s established injury handoff. The case asks what a teacher can notice without deciding what the fall means.