This form must be signed by all student athletes and parent/guardians before the student participates in any athletic or spirit practice or contest each school year. A concussion is a brain injury and all brain injuries are serious. They are caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or by a blow to another part of the bodywith the force transmitted to the head. They can range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain normally works. Even though most concussions are mild, all concussions are potentially serious and may result in complications including prolonged brain damage and death if not recognized and managed
properly.
In other words, even a “ding” or a bump on the head can be serious. You can’t see a concussion and most sports concussions occur without loss of consciousness. Signs and symptoms of concussion may show up right after the injury or can take hours or days to fully appear. If your child reports any symptoms of concussion, or if you notice the symptoms or signs of concussion yourself, seek medical attention right away.
Symptoms may include one or more of the following:
- Headaches
- “Pressure in head”
- Nausea or vomiting
- Neck pain
- Balance problems or dizziness
- Blurred, double, or fuzzy vision
- Sensitivity to light or noise
- Feeling sluggish or slowed down
- Feeling foggy or groggy
- Drowsiness
- Change in sleep patterns
- Amnesia
- “Don’t feel right”
- Fatigue or low energy
- Sadness
- Nervousness or anxiety
- Irritability
- More emotional
- Confusion
- Concentration or memory problems (forgetting game plays)
- Repeating the
same question/comment
Signs observed by teammates, parents, and coaches include:
- Appears dazed
- Vacant facial expression
- Confused about assignment
- Forgets plays
- Is unsure of game, score, or opponent
- Moves clumsily or displays uncoordination
- Answers questions slowly
- Slurred speech
- Shows behavior or personality changes
- Can’t recall events prior to hit
- Can’t recall events after hit
- Seizures or convulsions
- Any change in typical behavior or personality
- Loses consciousness
What can happen if my child keeps on playing with a concussion or returns too soon?
Athletes with the signs and symptoms of concussion should be removed from
play immediately. Continuing to play with the signs and symptoms of a concussion leaves the young athlete especially vulnerable to greater injury. There is an increased risk of significant damage from a concussion for a period of time after that concussion occurs, particularly if the athlete suffers another concussion before completely recovering from the first one (second impact syndrome).
This can lead to prolonged recovery, or even to severe brain swelling with
devastating and even fatal consequences. It is well known that adolescent or
teenage athletes will often under report symptoms of injuries. And concussions
are no different. As a result, education of administrators, coaches, parents and
students is the key for student-athlete’s safety.
If you think your child has suffered a concussion:
Any athlete even suspected of suffering a concussion should be removed from
the game or practice immediately. No athlete may return to activity after an apparent head injury or concussion, regardless of how mild it seems or how quickly symptoms clear, without written medical clearance from a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).
Close observation of the athlete should continue for several hours. You should
also inform your child’s coach if you think that your child may have a concussion. Remember it is better to miss one game than miss the whole season. When in doubt, the athlete sits out!
Return to Practice and Competition
The Kansas School Sports Head Injury Prevention Act provides that if an athlete
suffers, or is suspected of having suffered, a concussion or head injury during a
competition or practice, the athlete must be immediately removed from the
competition or practice and cannot return to practice or competition until a
Health Care Professional has evaluated the athlete and provided a written
authorization to return to practice and competition. The KSHSAA recommends
that an athlete not return to practice or competition the same day the athlete
suffers or is suspected of suffering a concussion. The KSHSAA also
recommends that an athlete’s return to practice and competition should follow a
graduated protocol under the supervision of the health care provider (MD or
DO).
For current and up-to-date information on concussions you can go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/headsup/youthsports/athletes.html
For concussion information and educational resource s collected by the
KSHSAA, go to:
http://www.kshsaa.org/Public/General/ConcussionGuidelines.cfm