Concussions

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—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 rapidly back and forth. This sudden 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.”

While we understand the student’s desire to get back to school as soon as possible, recent research has supported that an early return to cognitive stress while the brain is still healing is not in the child’s best interest and may hinder the student in his or her recovery. Cognitive rest is the best treatment for concussions.  We are asking parents to keep students home if they are still experiencing symptoms of a concussion such as fatigue, headaches, or difficulty concentrating. All student athletes identified as having a concussion during their athletic season; must be cleared by the school Medical Director, Dr. Mark Pisik, M.D., prior to beginning the return to play protocol. Any other students identified as having a concussion as a result of an injury occurring both during the school day, after school, or on weekends; must be cleared by their personal physician, prior to their beginning the return to play protocol. The return to play protocol is a routine designed to slowly increase the amount of physical activity a student participates in.  If you would like a copy of the Return to Play Progression, click on the link at the bottom of this page.

If the student’s personal physician or the school Medical Director, Dr. Mark Pisik, M.D. has cleared your child to return to school and they still need frequent breaks and rest time, we will be sending them home until they can make it through the time approved by the doctor (partial or full day).