Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/937491
Concussion Evaluation Flow Chart Any student with a suspected head injury that occurs at school must be evaluated by a school nurse or athletic trainer following the steps listed on this chart. Head injury at school Evaluation by RN including administration of King-Devick Test Monitor for 24 hours, re-test next day Monitor for 24 hours, re-test next day Refer for Concussion Evaluation and provide return to school checklist Refer for Concussion Evaluation and provide return to school checklist Email parent, no further follow up needed One or two symptoms More than two symptoms No symptoms No symptoms Any symptoms KD score greater than baseline KD score less than baseline Frequency at Latin According to school nurses Jill Yacu and Becki Maloney, there were 29 students in the upper and middle schools with diagnosed concussions in the 2016-17 school year – not all of these occurred at Latin or during Latin-sponsored events. For that same time period, there were no reported concussions in the lower school, although 177 students were evaluated by the nurses for the potential of a concussion. Yacu and Maloney expect those numbers will rise in the future. "A lot of the literature indicates that the vast majority of concussions are unreported and go undiagnosed," said Maloney. "e numbers are going to continue to increase. It doesn't mean that kids are getting more concussions; it just means we are doing a better job of catching them." Impact on Learning In a school environment, the eects of a concussion – both physical and emotional – can create academic challenges. "I don't think most people understand the severity of a concussion," said Stephen Wright, one of Latin's two upper school learning specialists. "It's a traumatic brain injury. Even something as simple as reading and analyzing a book can be too taxing." e eyes are especially sensitive to a brain injury, according to Nowinski, which is why students with concussions sometimes have trouble reading and doing schoolwork. Headaches after these activities are a common complaint. Wright said that often students do not want to take a break from classwork for fear that they will fall behind. is is unwarranted. "We are on the student's side," he said, 21 L M » W