Essex Westford School District: Concussion Action Plan
This document contains:
Essex Westford School District (EWSD) has developed this protocol to address the issue of the identification and management of concussions for students who participate in school sports. Act 68 was passed into law in 2013 and requires that schools have an action plan (text in italics are items required by Act 68).
A safe return to activity protocol (learning and athletics) is important for all athletes following any injury, but it is essential after a concussion. The goal of this concussion protocol is to ensure that concussed athletes are identified, treated and referred appropriately for return to learn and return to play. Consistent use of a concussion management protocol will ensure that the athlete receives appropriate follow-up and/or academic accommodations in order to make certain that the athlete is fully recovered prior to returning to full athletic play activity.
This protocol will be reviewed annually by a school nurse and the athletic director or designee. Changes and modifications will be reviewed and written notifications will be provided to athletic department staff, coaches and other appropriate school personnel.
All coaches are required to certify concussion management training every two(2) years. Parents and athletes must be educated about concussions annually. The written documentation of coaches annual training shall be kept in the coaches personnel file and the student/parents in the student file and be tracked by athletic director or designee.
Recognition of Concussion
These signs and symptoms – following a witnessed, reported or suspected blow to the head or body – are indicative of a probable concussion.
Signs (observed by others) | Symptoms (reported by athlete) | ||
Forgets plays | Headache | ||
Appears dazed or stunned | Fatigue | ||
Exhibits confusion | Nausea or vomiting | ||
Unsure about game, score, opponent | Double vision, blurry vision | ||
Balance problems | Sensitive to light or noise | ||
Moves clumsily (altered coordination) | Ears “ringing” | ||
Responds slowly to questions | Feels sluggish | ||
Personality change | Feels “foggy” | ||
Forgets events prior to hit | Problems concentrating | ||
Forgets events after the hit Loss of consciousness (not required) | Problems remembering Loss of balance or balance changes | ||
Any athlete who exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion must be removed from competition or practice and will not be allowed to train or compete with a school athletic team until the athlete has been examined by and received written permission to participate in athletic activities from a health care provider (per Act 68, approved by the VT Legislature in 2013).
The contracted certified athletic trainer (where applicable), school nurses, athletic director, and the concussion certified coaches have been designated as the individual(s) who can make the initial decision to remove a student athlete from play when it is suspected the
athlete may have suffered a concussion.
Athletes with a suspected concussion should not be permitted to drive home. The school must notify parents/guardians as soon as possible and within 24 hours if a student sustains a concussion. The contracted certified athletic trainer (where applicable), school nurses, athletic director, and the concussion certified coaches are the individual(s) assigned to inform parents/guardians that their student/child may have sustained a concussion.
Act 68 requires that schools must outline the steps required before a student athlete can return to athletic or learning activity. The steps required to return to learning activities and athletic activities are outlined in the All Concussions Toolkit.
High school: The school nurse will coordinate the Return To Learn process and can clear the student athlete to begin the Return to Play with the certified athletic trainer at school.The certified athletic trainer will coordinate the Return to Play process. Collaboration between the school nurse and the athletic trainer will be needed to coordinate the progression of the student athlete. Communication with the primary medical care provider is encouraged.
Middle school: Before starting Return to Play, a medical provider must clear a student athlete to start the process.
Essex Westford School District (EWSD) has developed this Concussion Action Plan to address the issue of the identification and management of concussions. Vermont State Concussion Law, Act 68 was passed into law in 2013 and recommends schools with athletic teams have a concussion action plan. The law applies to middle and high school student athletes in school sponsored sports. It is considered best practice to have a plan that outlines support for all student concussions, no matter the age of the student or the cause of the injury. This action plan is intended for students who are not participating in school sponsored athletics during the recovery process.
A safe return to activity (learning and athletics) is essential following a concussion. The goal of this concussion action plan is to ensure that concussed students are identified, treated, and referred appropriately for return to learn and return to physical activity. Consistent use of a concussion management protocol will ensure that a student receives appropriate follow-up and accommodations in order to make certain that they are fully recovered prior to returning to full learning and physical activities involved during the school day.
Recognition of Concussion
These signs and symptoms - following a witnessed or suspected blow to the head or body - are indicative of a probable concussion.
Signs (observed by others) | Symptoms (reported by student) |
Appears dazed or stunned | Headache |
Exhibits confusion | Fatigue |
Moves clumsily (altered coordination) | Nausea or vomiting |
Loss of balance or balance changes | Double vision, blurry vision |
Personality change | Sensitive to light or noise |
Responds slowly to questions | Feels sluggish |
Forgets events prior to event | Feels “foggy” |
Forgets events after the event | Problems concentrating |
Loss of consciousness (not required) | Problems remembering |
Ears “ringing” |
Action Steps
Act 68 requires that schools must outline the steps required before a student athlete can return to athletic or learning activity. The steps required to return to learning activities and athletic activities are outlined in the All Concussions Toolkit . This process will be directed/coordinated by the School Nurse.
Resources:
https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/providers/return_to_activities.html
Reviewed and edited on 1/26/23