What happens if the athlete sustains a concussion?

Post date: Jun 13, 2013 8:30:44 PM

If you believe you/your student athlete/your teammate/etc has a concussion, the most important step is to not ignore the situation and “play through it”.

If it is an emergent situation and you are not in the presence of Serra Catholic’s athletic trainer, please call 911 and/or go to your nearest emergency room. A concussion may be an emergency if: the athlete complains of the "worst headache ever," if the athlete vomits, or if the athlete's condition deteriorates. Also, always take an athlete to the emergency room if you are unsure about the situation, feel more comfortable doing so, or for any other reason you may feel the need as a parent/guardian. Please see the "Danger Signs" in the document attached to this post for additional explanations.

If the situation is not an outward emergency and/or you are in the presence of Serra Catholic’s athletic trainer, please alert her of your situation. Once she is alerted, these steps will be taken:

1. The athlete will be removed from participation.

2. The athletic trainer will conduct an on-the field/sideline/etc assessment of the athlete.

If it is an emergent situation, the athletic trainer will call 911.

3. If the athlete is not experiencing any other medical emergencies in addition to or associated with the possible concussion, and has concussive symptoms that do not quickly resolve or are agitated by mental or physical exertion, the student will be asked to take the ImPACT concussion test online under the supervision of a concussion specialist. Ideally this will occur within 72 hours from injury and will be accompanied by an interview/evaluation by the concussion specialist.

-Please call 412 432 3681 to make this appointment. Please leave only one message and allow for 36 hours to pass before alerting the athletic trainer that you have not spoken to anyone in the concussion office. Do not make multiple calls/leave multiple messages as this will slow down your process of getting an appointment.

4. The athletic trainer will send an email to the UPMC Sports Concussion Program detailing the injury.

*Performance on the ImPACT test does NOT diagnose a concussion; symptoms experienced by the athlete at the time of injury and with mental and physical activities afterwards alone are enough to determine that the athlete is concussed. The ImPACT test is a neurocognitive tool used to help determine safe return to play, among other things. Also a CT scan is not diagnostic of a concussion and would be given under a physician's discretion to rule out other serious head injuries.

Student performance on their personal previously taken baseline exam is compared to the post-concussion exam of the injured athlete. Interpretations of the data are made along with an evaluation of a symptom survey. If no baseline is available, the athletes test will be compared to cohort data.

5. Upon receiving the evaluation of the ImPACT test by the concussion team, the athletic trainer will follow the guidelines set forth by the concussion team. Please bring all paperwork given to you by the concussion team to the athletic trainer. One will detail any necessary academic accommodations and will be shared with the student's teachers. The other will give the athletic trainer information on the next steps on the athlete's path to recovery.

*Regardless of the suggestions of the concussion team and the plan of treatment, no concussion clearance will be given by the concussion team until the athlete is physically seen in their office. A final clearance appointment can be set up by the family by using the number above.

6. If the student is symptomatic with school work/environment, the athletic trainer cannot make formal academic accommodations. She will suggest certain things that may alleviate the worsening of symptoms suffered, but formal accommodations must come from the concussion team after their face to face evaluation of the athlete or sometimes after their interpretation of the test, until the athlete can be seen in the concussion offices.

7. Once the student performs up to the concussion team’s standards on the ImPACT test and he/she is given the go ahead by the concussion specialists, they may begin the graduated protocol for return to play, either via physical therapy or with the athletic trainer. After the graduated protocol, students must pass an exit test as well. The exit test is done at a designated physical therapy office only.

*If at any time the athlete suffers a relapse of symptoms due to activity, the exertional testing will immediately terminate and then resume when appropriate.

*When the athlete passes all the stages of exertional testing and the exit test, they can be cleared by the concussion team for return to play when the concussion team deems appropriate.

*Sometimes the concussion team requests that an additional ImPACT test is administered at some stage of the exertional protocol.

8. If the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine Concussion Program does not cooperate with your insurance program, cases will be handled on an individual basis that does not necessarily follow every step listed above.