Board Policies & Administrative Procedures

Administrative Procedure 314: CONCUSSIONS

Background

The Board recognizes the importance of the health, safety and overall well-being of its students and that the safety of students are essential preconditions for effective learning and, as such, is committed to providing assiduous attention to the health and safety of its students and taking steps to reduce the risk of injury.

It is very important to student’s long-term health and academic success that individuals in schools have information on appropriate strategies to minimize the risk of concussion, steps to follow if they suspect that a student may have a concussion and effective management procedures to guide students’ return to learning and physical activity after a diagnosed Concussion.

The Board recognizes that children and adolescents are among those at greatest risk for concussions and that while there is potential for a concussion any time there is body trauma, the risk is greatest during activities where collisions can occur, such as during school-based physical activity programs (curricular, extracurricular, intramural, interschool), playground time or field trips.

Definitions

A Concussion:

is a traumatic brain injury that causes changes in how the brain functions, leading to signs and symptoms that can emerge immediately or in the hours or days after the injury. It is possible for symptoms to take up to 7 days to appear.
signs and symptoms can be physical (e.g., headache, dizziness), cognitive (e.g., difficulty concentrating or remembering), emotional/behavioural (e.g., depression, irritability) and/or related to sleep (e.g., drowsiness, difficulty falling asleep);
may be caused by a jarring impact to the head, face, neck or body, with an impulsive force transmitted to the head, that causes the brain to move rapidly within the skull can occur even if there has been no loss of consciousness (in fact, most concussions occur without a loss of consciousness);
cannot normally be seen on X-rays, standard CT scans or MRIs; and is typically expected to result in symptoms lasting 1-4 weeks in children and youth (under 18 years), but in some cases symptoms may be prolonged.

School Staff: School staff includes administration staff, teaching staff, support staff, coaches, volunteers, etc., who are responsible for supervising student activities.

Procedures

All staff and volunteers will take a preventative and proactive approach when dealing with concussions.
All school staff are responsible for the recognition and reporting of students who may demonstrate visual signs of a head injury or who report concussion-related symptoms. A concussion should be suspected.
1. in any student who sustains a significant impact to the head, face, neck, or body and demonstrates ANY of the visual signs of a suspected concussion or reports ANY symptoms of a suspected concussion as detailed in the Concussion Recognition Tool 5.
2. if any student reports ANY concussion symptoms to one of their peers, parents/guardians, teachers, or coaches or if anyone witnesses a student exhibiting any of the visual signs of concussion.
If a student is suspected of a head injury, the WSD Concussion Protocol must immediately be enacted.
Responsibilities
1. The Superintendent will;
  1. Ensure that this AP and supporting documentation, including concussion prevention, identification and management information is current and available on the division website and reviewed periodically.
  2. Principals will;
    1. review this AP annually with school staff and ensure awareness.
    2. facilitate and ensure the completion of concussion training through the ASAA and division training modules as required.
    3. ensure every student has a signed acknowledgement of risk & informed consent forms are on file for all extra-curricular and off-campus activities
    4. work with the athletic director to ensure the following concussion information is distributed at pre-season parent information meetings.
    5. In the event of a suspected head injury, immediately follow all procedures outlined in the WSD Concussion Protocol
    6. Report all incidents to OH&S through required reporting procedures and ensure all concussion-related documentation, including the Medical Clearance Letter, if required, is on file at the school.
    7. Work closely with students/parents/guardians/staff, volunteers and health professionals to support students with a suspected or diagnosed concussion with their recovery and academic success.
  3. Coaches will;
    1. Complete concussion training as assigned
    2. Familiarize themselves with this AP, the WSD Concussion Protocol and all supporting documents.
    3. Ensure all acknowledgement of risk and informed consent forms are completed for each athletic season prior to student participation in athletic events, including tryouts.
    4. Share this AP (including attachments) with players and parents at the start of the season of play.
    5. In the event of a suspected head injury, follow all procedures outlined in the WSD Concussion Protocol.
    6. Report all incidents to the school principal and OH&S through required reporting procedures.
    7. Ensure a signed Medical Clearance Letter is returned prior to an athlete returning to partial or full sport and physical activity participation.
  4. Parents will:
    1. Reinforce concussion prevention strategies with their child (e.g. following rules of fair play, playground safety rules, wearing properly fitted helmets, and using equipment safely).
    2. Understand and follow parent/guardian roles and responsibilities in this AP.
    3. In the event of a suspected concussion:
      1. Ensure the child is assessed as soon as possible by a medical doctor.
      2. Be responsible for the completion of all required documentation.
      3. Collaborate with the school to manage suspected or diagnosed concussions.
      4. Follow physician recommendations to promote recovery.
    4. Cooperate with the school to facilitate concussion diagnosis and treatment.
    5. Provide a Medical Clearance Letter to the school prior to the student’s return to full contact practice.
    6. Report any non-school-related concussion to the principal.
  5. Students will be expected to:
    1. Learn about concussions, including prevention strategies, signs and symptoms, concussion management and student roles and responsibilities, through the applicable curriculum and safety lessons connected to personal safety and injury prevention.
    2. Immediately inform school staff of suspected or diagnosed concussions occurring during or outside of school or if they experience any concussion-related symptoms (immediate, delayed or reoccurring).
    3. Remain on school premises until parent/guardian arrives if a concussion is suspected.
    4. Communicate concerns and challenges during the recovery process with the school lead, school staff, parents/guardians, and healthcare providers
    5. Follow concussion management strategies as per the medical doctor's direction.