Concussion Management
Concussion Management
The Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES (E2CC BOCES) Board of Education recognizes that concussions and head injuries are the most commonly reported injuries in children and adolescents who participate in sports and recreational activities. The physical and mental well-being of our students is a primary concern. Therefore, E2CC BOCES adopts the following Policy to support the proper evaluation and management of concussion injuries.
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). A concussion occurs when normal brain functioning is disrupted by a blow or jolt to the head or body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. Recovery from concussion and its symptoms will vary. Avoiding re-injury and over-exertion until fully recovered are the cornerstones of proper concussion management. Concussions can impact a student’s academics as well as their athletic pursuits.
Staff Training/Course of Instruction
Each school coach, physical education teacher, school nurse and certified athletic trainer who works with and/or provides instruction to students in school-sponsored athletic activities (including physical education class and recess) shall complete a course of instruction every two (2) years relating to recognizing the symptoms of concussions or MTBIs and monitoring and seeking proper medical treatment for students who suffer from a concussion or MTBI.
Components of the training will include:
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The definition of MTBI;
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Signs and symptoms of MTBI;
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How MTBIs may occur;
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Practices regarding prevention; and
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Guidelines for the return to school and school activities for a student who has suffered an MTBI, even if the injury occurred outside of school.
The course can be completed by means of instruction approved by SED which include, but are not limited to, courses provided online and by teleconference.
Information to Parents
E2CC BOCES shall include the following information on concussion in any permission or consent form or similar document that may be required from a parent/person in parental relation for a student’s participation in interscholastic sports. Information will include:
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The definition of MTBI;
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Signs and symptoms of MTBI;
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How MTBIs may occur;
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Practices regarding prevention; and
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Guidelines for the return to school and school activities for a student who has suffered an MTBI, even if the injury occurred outside of school.
E2CC BOCES will provide a link on its website, to the above list of information on the State Education Department’s and Department of Health’s websites.
Identification of Concussion and Removal from Athletic Activities
E2CC BOCES shall require the immediate removal from all athletic activities of any student who has sustained, or is believed to have sustained, a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) or concussion. Any student demonstrating signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion while participating in a class, extracurricular activity, or interscholastic athletic activity shall be removed from the class, game or activity and must be evaluated as soon as possible by an appropriate health care professional. Such removal must occur based on display of symptoms regardless of whether such injury occurred inside or outside of school. If there is any doubt as to whether the student has sustained a concussion, it shall be presumed that the student has been injured until proven otherwise. E2CC BOCES shall notify the student’s parents or guardians and recommend appropriate evaluation and monitoring.
E2CC BOCES may choose to allow credentialed BOCES staff to use validated Neurocognitive computerized testing as a concussion assessment tool to obtain baseline and post-concussion performance data. These tools are not a replacement for a medical evaluation to diagnose and treat a concussion.
Return to School Activities and Athletics
The student shall not return to physical activity (including athletics, physical education class and recess) until he/she has been symptom-free for not less than twenty-four (24) hours, and has been evaluated and received written authorization from a licensed physician. In accordance with Commissioner’s Regulations, the School District’s Medical Director will give final clearance on a return to activity for extra-class athletics. All such authorizations shall be kept on file in the student’s permanent health record. The standards for return to athletic activity will also apply to injuries that occur outside of school. School staff should be aware that students may exhibit concussion symptoms caused by injuries from outside activities and that these visible symptoms also indicate a removal from play.
The BOCES shall follow any directives issued by the student’s treating physician with regard to limitations and restrictions on school and athletic activities for the student. The District’s Medical Director may also formulate a standard protocol for treatment of students with concussions during the school day.
In accordance with NYSED guidelines, this Policy shall be reviewed periodically and updated as necessary in accordance with New York State Education Department guidelines. The Superintendent, in consultation with the District’s Medical Director and other appropriate staff, may develop regulations and protocols for strategies to prevent concussions, the identification of concussions, and procedures for removal from and return to activities or academics.
- Education Law Sections 207; 305(42), and 2854
- 8 NYCRR 135.4 and 136.5
- Guidelines for Concussion Management in the School Setting, SED Guidance Document, June 2012
- Adoption Date: September 26, 2012
