New England Ski for Light
Concussion Protocol
June 15, 2025
Note: This information is taken from the Center for Disease Control website on concussions (cdc.gov/heads-up). It has been edited for the use of New England Ski for Light guides and trip leaders.
1. What is a Concussion?
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth. This fast movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells.
2. How Can I Recognize a Possible Concussion?
Participants who show or report one or more of the signs and symptoms listed below – or who simply say they just “don’t feel right” – after a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body may have a concussion or other serious brain injury. Concussion signs and symptoms often show up soon after the injury, but it can be hard to tell how serious the concussion is at first. Some symptoms may not show up for hours or days.
A. Signs guides may observe:
● Seems confused
● Forgets an instruction or is unsure of themselves
● Moves clumsily
● Answers questions slowly or repeats questions
● Can’t remember events before or after the hit, bump, or fall
● Loses consciousness (even for a moment)
● Has behavior or personality changes
B. Signs participants may report:
● Headache
● Nausea or vomiting
● Dizziness or balance problems
● Bothered by light or noise
● Feeling foggy or groggy
● Trouble concentrating or problems with short- or long-term memory
● Does not “feel right”
C. Signs of a more serious brain injury:
In rare cases, a concussion can cause dangerous bleeding in the brain, which puts pressure on the skull. Call 911 if a participant develops one or more of these danger signs after a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body:
● A headache that gets worse and does not go away
● Significant nausea or repeated vomiting
● Unusual behavior, increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation
● Drowsiness or inability to wake up
● Slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination
● Convulsions or seizures (shaking or twitching)
● Loss of consciousness (passing out)
3. What Should I Do If a Participant Has a Possible Concussion?
As a guide, if you think a participant may have a concussion, you should:
A. Remove the participant from the activity.
Using your radio, ask for assistance from other guides. Move the participant from the outdoors to indoors as soon as possible consistent with safety. Record the following information for the use of healthcare providers:
● Cause of the injury and the force of the hit or blow to the head or body ● Any loss of consciousness (passed out) and for how long
● Any memory loss right after the injury
● Any seizures right after the injury
● Number of previous concussion (if any
B. Keep the participant out of the activity on the day of the injury and arrange an examination by a healthcare provider.
Do not try to judge the severity of the injury yourself. Only a healthcare provider should assess the participant for a possible concussion and decide when it is safe for the participant to return to the activity.
C. Inform the participant’s personal contact about the possible concussion.
D. Ask for written instructions from the participant’s healthcare provider on returning to the activity.
This should include information about when the participant can return to the activity and steps you should take to help the participant safely do so. Participants who continue the activity while having concussion symptoms have a greater chance of getting another concussion. A repeat concussion that occurs before the brain has fully healed can be very serious and can increase the chance for long-term problems. It can even be fatal.