Parents and Student Athletes Must Have Concussion Education Training Before Sports Tryouts, which is mandated by state law.
June 13, 2011
Effective beginning with all fall sports for the 2011-12 school year, all student athletes and their parents or guardians will be required to attend a concussion education session provided by their respective middle and high schools. Attendance at one of these sessions is required before a student will be allowed to try out for any sport. Participation in the concussion education session is mandated by state law (Virginia Code 22.1-271.5). A concussion is a brain injury that is characterized by an onset of impairment of cognitive and/or physical functioning, and is caused by a blow to the head, face, or neck, or to the body that causes a sudden jarring of the head (e.g., a helmet to the head, being knocked to the ground). A concussion can occur with or without loss of consciousness.
Prince William County Public Schools supports the need to ensure that its staff, students, and the community are aware of the seriousness of brain injuries and concussions and how they can affect the student’s abilities in the educational setting. In April 2011, the Prince William County School Board adopted a concussion policy that meets the Virginia Code. The law requires parents and students to sign a form attesting that they received training prior to any level of student participation in athletics. The date and time for this education presentation for each middle and high school will be provided by the schools after July 1. Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s school for an up-to-date presentation schedule during July.
A concussion is a brain injury that is characterized by an onset of impairment of cognitive and/or physical functioning, and is caused by a blow to the head, face, or neck, or to the body that causes a sudden jarring of the head (e.g., a helmet to the head, being knocked to the ground). A concussion can occur with or without loss of consciousness.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I THINK MY CHILD HAS SUFFERED A CONCUSSION?
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Remove them from further play, be it a game or practice in or out of school.
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Contact the school Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC), coach, school nurse, administration, or teacher. AT FOREST PARK CONTACT MS. SHANKS OR MRS. GONZALEZ.
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Continuing to participate in physical activity after a concussion can lead to worsening concussion symptoms, increase risk for further injury and even death.
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Have a medical professional diagnose the individual.
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WHEN IN DOUBT, SIT THEM OUT.
Return to Learn (RTL) Guidelines after Sustaining a Concussion
“Our main goal is to ensure that PWCS students and student-athletes who sustain concussions are properly diagnosed, given adequate time to heal, and are comprehensively supported at home and school throughout the recovery of their injury.”
The emphasis on the Return-to- Learn framework is allowing the student to participate in classroom and progress academically without worsening symptoms prolonging the healing process.
- As the student improves, the teachers should modify school work to gradually increase demands on the brain. This may be accomplished by:
- Increasing the amount of work
- Increasing the length of time spent on the work
- Altering the type of work
- Increasing the difficulty of work
- If symptoms do not worsen, demands may continue to be gradually increased.
- If symptoms do worsen, the activity should be discontinued and the student allowed to rest.
Communication as Team
- Development of Concussion Management Teams (CMTs) and a working chain of communication is our future goal.
- This initiative will allow for smooth transitioning of students suffering from concussion back to the classrooms.
- Concussion teams within the school will share common roles and responsibilities to assist other team members and the concussed student.
- A consistent message and good communication are key to the success of a student’s recovery from a concussion.
Who are members of the Team that assist to manage a Student with a Concussion?
- Academic concussion management should be a collaborative approach.
- A concussion management team is recommended in each school to ensure continuity of care and support
- The concussion management team may include:
Student’s Physician Athletic Trainer Guidance Counselor Teachers & Administrators School Psychologist School Nurse Parents Coaches
- If you are unsure how information is communicated about concussed students in your school, speak you’re your administrators.
Understanding a Concussed Student:
- Student needs to hear from educators, coaches and parents that they understand.
- Reassurance that he or she will be successful in making up missed school days and homework.
- The student should hear a consistent message from everyone involved, from parents or guardians to health care providers to teachers.
- This sympathy, understanding and consistency from all parties involved will help to decrease stress, and in turn, help with recovery.
Return to Play (RTP) Guidelines after a Student Athlete Sustains a Concussion
In the following Prince William County Concussion Management program, all student-athletes shall be removed from play until symptom free (asymptomatic) and neurocognitive testing has been successfully completed by the appropriate physician or athletic trainer. Once the athlete is both physically and cognitively symptom free (asymptomatic), he or she can begin a progressive Return to Play protocol before returning to practice and full contact play. In the event that a student-athlete is evaluated for a concussion/MTBI by a licensed health care professional other than a certified athletic trainer, documentation is required demonstrating the health care professional has declared the student symptom free and able to return to activity. At the high school level, all final return to play decisions are at the discretion of the student-athlete’s primary certified athletic trainer and are based on the primary health care provider’s release to begin Return to Play protocol, history, and testing procedures.
Recommendation and release documentation may come from the following licensed health care professionals: an M.D. (preferably a neurologist), a D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathy), or a Neuropsychologist Ph.D. Prince William County policy stipulates the following medical providers are not able to provide clearance for return to play: emergency department physician, urgent care physician, chiropractor, physical therapist.
The Return to Play protocol is a five day progressive program that ensures the student-athlete can begin a physical activity and return to full participation without the reoccurrence of symptoms. If the student athlete experiences any symptoms during the Return to Play process, the student will start the five day over and see their personal health care provider if necessary.
Return to Play Protocol once released by appropriate health care provider and Phase 5 of RTL has been completed:
Overview and Features of the ImPACT Test
ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is the first, most-widely used, and most scientifically validated computerized concussion evaluation system.
*Each Prince William County athlete participating in a sport is required to be ImPACT baseline tested prior to competing.
High school athletes will be pre-tested with Impact, a neuro-cognitive baseline test. Students who have sustained a concussion will receive an Impact post-test prior to returning to play. The student must return to baseline scores before returning to play. The Impact Program is not available for middle school age students (as of Fall, 2011).
CONCUSSIONS IN HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
GUIDE FOR PARENTS
WHAT IS A CONCUSSION?
- A concussion is a brain injury which results in a temporary disruption of normal brain function. A concussion occurs when the brain is violently rocked back and forth or twisted inside the skull as a result of a blow to the head or body. An athlete does not have to lose consciousness to suffer a concussion.
SIGNS OBSERVED BY PARENTS AND COACHES:
- Appears dazed or stunned.
- Is confused about what to do.
- Forgets plays.
- Is unsure of game, score, or opponent.
- Moves clumsily.
- Loses consciousness.
- Shows behavior or personality changes.
- Cannot recall events prior to hit.
- Cannot recall events after hit.
SYMPTOMS REPORTED BY ATHLETE:
- Headache.
- Nausea.
- Balance problems or dizziness.
- Double or fuzzy vision.
- Feeling sluggish.
- Feeling foggy or groggy.
- Concentration or memory problems.
- Confusion.
WHEN CAN AN ATHLETE RETURN TO PLAY?
- No athlete should return to play or practice on the same day after suffering a concussion.
- Athlete must be evaluated by a health care professional and be cleared before returning.
- Once cleared, he/she should proceed with activity in a step-wise fashion to allow the brain to re-adjust to exertion.
WHAT CAN I DO AS A PARENT?
- Both you and your child should learn to recognize the “Signs and Symptoms” of concussion as listed above.
- Teach your child to tell the athletic trainer and coach if he/she experiences such symptoms.
- Teach your child to tell the athletic trainer and coach if he/she suspects that a teammate has a concussion.
- Ask teachers to monitor any decrease in grades or changes in behavior that could indicate a concussion.
- Report concussion to the athletic trainer and coaches to help in monitoring injured athletes as they move to the next sports season.
VHSL Guidelines and Virginia Code §22.1-271.5
PWCS Concussion Policy 759-1
