Hundreds of students suffer from concussions every year. Failure to manage a concussion properly could lead to serious, long term learning consequences. According to a study from United Educators, students that suffered from a concussion had grades drop anywhere from 33%-68% in varying subjects. Schools should have proper plans in place to address concussions and the process for returning to school.
Strategies for Addressing Concussion Symptoms at School
The following are steps to be taken before and during an event in which a child experiences head trauma at school:
- Educate all school staff on how to recognize and treat concussion symptoms
- Notify parents of the injury, signs, and symptoms in order to monitor and communicate with a health care provider
- Athletic staff follow the rule “when in doubt, sit them out” after a head injury
- Students should not be cleared to play sports again until there’s written consent from a healthcare provider
When is a Student Ready to Return to School After a Concussion
A timeline for a student returning to class may vary based on the child and severity of the concussion. Schools should have a concussion management plan that includes a standard process of returning to school with cognitive tests and cognitive recoveries. While a student is still recovering from a concussion, another jolt to the head could prolong or even worsen the symptoms. Therefore, it is especially important to ensure the student does not participate in any activity that increases the risk for another concussion, including sports, gym class, and recess. For a comprehensive checklist detailing pre-participation and concussion response actions, please visit https://www.ue.org/498c4c/globalassets/risk-management/checklist/creating-athletics-concussion-management-plan.pdf.
Hundreds of students suffer from concussions every year as a result of a motor-vehicle crash, fall, or from an injury on the playground or sports field. Schools need to be cautious when injuries happen on school property and when letting students return to school after a concussion. Failure to manage a concussion properly could lead to serious and long term learning consequences for a school aged child. According to a study from United Educators, students that suffered from a concussion had grades drop anywhere from 33%-68% in varying subjects. This goes to show that concussions are not something that should be taken lightly and schools should have proper plans in place to address concussions on school grounds, and when students are returning to school.
Strategies for Addressing Concussion Symptoms at School
When a child experiences head trauma at school, all school staff should know how to address symptoms of a concussion so students can have their conditions recognized and treated as necessary. Parents should be made aware of the injury, signs, and symptoms in order to monitor and communicate with a health care provider. Athletic staff should also know the dangers of a concussion and follow the rule: “When in doubt, sit them out” after a head injury. Athletic students should not be cleared to play sports again until there’s written consent to do so from a healthcare provider.
When is a student ready to return to school after a concussion?
A timeline for a student returning to class may vary based on the child and severity of the concussion. Schools should have a concussion management plan that includes a standard process of returning to school with cognitive tests, and cognitive recoveries. A concussion management plan is a written policy that outlines a school’s protocol for managing the risk of concussions. While a student is still recovering from a concussion, another jolt to the head could prolong or even worsen the symptoms. Therefore, it is especially important to ensure the student does not participate in any activity that would increase the risk for another concussion. This would include contact and collision sports, but also gym class and sometimes recess. As symptoms improve, students should be encouraged to return to non-contact physical activity until otherwise noted by a healthcare physician. Any further questioning in regards to handling a student’s concussion should be directed to that student’s parents, and doctor. For a more comprehensive guide to students returning to learn after a concussion, please visit https://www.edurisksolutions.org/Templates/template-article.aspx?id=2623&pageid=136
