We are committed to the safety of our students. Head injuries can happen at any time, including during non-sporting activities. When a head injury occurs at school, we take this matter very seriously.
There are specific steps followed by our school staff, students and parents in the event of a suspected or medically diagnosed concussion whether it happened at school or in the community. If a suspicious injury to the head or body occurs at school or a school event, an assessment checklist is completed by our staff to determine if any signs or symptoms of concussion are present. The checklist then illustrates which steps to follow next. All students with a suspected concussion are required to seek medical attention the same day as injury occurs.
The parents/guardians of students who have been medically diagnosed with a concussion will receive our Board’s Concussion Protocol to follow.
What is a concussion?
A concussion is a brain injury that affects the way a person may think and remember things, and can cause a variety of symptoms. Any blow to the head, face, neck or a blow to the body that jars the head, could cause a concussion.
Signs and symptoms
A concussion can have physical, cognitive, emotional and sleep related signs and symptoms:
Physical signs and symptoms of concussion include:
- Headache;
- Pressure in the head;
- Dizziness;
- Nausea or vomiting;
- Blurred vision;
- Sensitivity to light or sound;
- Ringing in the ears;
- Balance problems;
- Feeling tired or low energy;
- Drowsiness; and
- “Don’t feel right”.
Cognitive signs and symptoms of a concussion include:
- Not thinking clearly;
- Feeling slowed down;
- Feeling like “in a fog”;
- Problems concentrating; and
- Memory problems.
Emotional signs and symptoms of a concussion include:
- Easily upset or angered;
- Sadness;
- Nervous or anxious; and
- Feeling more emotional.
Sleep related signs and symptoms of concussion include:
- Sleeping more or less than usual;
- Having a hard time falling asleep.
Concussion Protocol
If a student is diagnosed with a concussion, then a Return to Learn/Return to Physical Activity Collaborative Plan must be completed at home before your child can return to school. School staff will work closely with parents using detailed forms and charts to carefully track a student’s activities after a medically diagnosed concussion.
Even a small amount of physical activity may lead to a re-injury that can have serious and life-time permanent effects of brain injury if the brain has not had a chance to heal.
Rest Period: Immediately following a concussion, a student must rest for 24 to 48 hours, this includes both cognitive rest and physical rest.
The Concussion Protocol outlines the stages of Home Program for Return to Learn and Return to Physical Activity.
Once a student has completed the Home Program, parents/guardians should contact the school to meet to discuss the steps required to return to school. This is outlined is the Return to Learn/Return to Physical Activity Collaborative Plan.
Concussion Awareness Resources
On March 7, 2018, the Ontario government enacted Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2018, and amended the Education Act, to protect amateur athletes, including students, by improving concussion safety on the field and at school.
The new expectations for schools and school boards are covered in our Board’s policy on Concussion Management and our administrative procedure on Concussion Management.
As part of the changes, students and their parents who participate in inter-school sports are expected to participate in annual concussion awareness training available on the Government of Ontario Rowan’s Law site.
Resources
The following web links and organizations have information, videos for parents, teachers and students on concussion recognition, prevention and management.