As part of Rowan's Law, all students, athletes and parents must review Concussion Awareness and Prevention strategies while participating in school and athletic associations. The information shared below come from Ministry resources, OPHEA safety standards and the Lambton Kent District School Board Concussion Protocol.
What is a Concussion?- A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that causes changes in how the brain functions, leading to signs and symptoms that can emerge immediately or in the hours or days after the injury. It is possible for symptoms to take up to 7 days to appear.
- Concussion signs and symptoms can be physical (for example, headache, dizziness), cognitive (for example, difficulty concentrating or remembering), emotional/behavioural (for example, depression, irritability) and/or related to sleep (for example, drowsiness, difficulty falling asleep).
- Concussions may be caused by a jarring impact to the head, face, neck or body, with an impulsive force transmitted to the head, that causes the brain to move rapidly within the skull (for a visual description of how a concussion occurs, consult cdn.hockeycanada.ca/hockey-canada/Hockey-Programs/Safety/Concussion/Infographic/english.html).
- Concussions can occur even if there has been no loss of consciousness, (in fact most concussions occur without a loss of consciousness).
- Concussions cannot normally be seen on X-rays, standard CT scans or MRIs.
- A concussion is typically expected to result in symptoms lasting 1-4 weeks in children and youth (18 years or under), but in some cases symptoms may be prolonged.
How are Concussions Diagnosed?In Canada, only medical doctors and nurse practitioners are qualified to provide a concussion diagnosis. Medical doctors and nurse practitioners are the only healthcare professionals in Canada with licensed training and expertise to diagnose a concussion; therefore, all students with a suspected concussion should undergo evaluation by one of these professionals. In rural or northern regions, the Medical Assessment may be completed by a nurse with pre-arranged access to a medical doctor or nurse practitioner.
Prevention Strategies As part of the Lambton Kent District School Board's Prevention Strategies, all students will be required to:
- review the appropriate awareness resource found below
- maintain a safe learning environment by learning and respecting the rules of the activity or sport they are involved in
- follow the rules of fair play and respect for all
- in the case of athletics; student athletes will be required to read and sign the Code of Conduct and Athletic Policy for each athletic team they take part in
- inform LKDSB staff or activity supervisors of any suspected or confirmed head injury
- report to an LKDSB staff or activity supervisor if they become aware of a peer who is experiencing signs or symptoms of concussion
- honestly monitor their symptoms and report any recurrence of such to avoid Second Impact Syndrome
- follow the return to school plan created in collaboration with the student, parent/guardian and school
As part of the Lambton Kent District School Board's Prevention Strategies, parent/guardians will:
- review the Government of Ontario Concussion Awareness Resource
- put the health and safety of their child first
- follow the Concussion Protocol, as identified in the Identification and Management Section of this website
- ensure that the proper documentation is completed by themselves, doctors and/or nurse practitioners and returned to the school
- notify the school if their child sustains a concussion outside of school so the Concussion Protocol can be initiated for the health and wellbeing of the student
- in the case of athletics; parent/guardians will be required to sign the Parent Code of Conduct for each athletic team their child takes part in
OPHEA has also created lists for prevention strategies for Teachers/Coaches/Supervisors (who we call Activity Supervisors) and School Board/Athletic Associations. The LKDSB has provided this information, along with other important information on the Staff Portal for LKDSB Staff. Any non-LKDSB staff who are coaching will be provided the necessary coaching packages and prevention strategies before their season starts by the school administration or designate.
Awareness Resources for Children and AdultsPlease choose the age group you fit in below in order to review concussion awareness in an age appropriate fashion. Please note: Additional Languages are available at the bottom of the pages once the link opens.
Government of Ontario Concussion Awareness Resource for Ages 10 and underGovernment of Ontario Concussion Awareness Resource for Ages 11-14Government of Ontario Concussion Awareness Resource for Ages 15- Adult
