Use this checklist and the flowchart below – both developed by KSCP – to guide the process of returning a student-athletes who have sustained a potential concussion back to the classroom and to their sport.
1. ALWAYS remove athletes immediately after suspecting a concussion. Do NOT allow return to play the same day with a concussion.
2. Athletes do NOT have to be knocked out to have a concussion. 90% of concussions occur without a loss of consciousness.
3. CT scans don’t diagnose concussions. Everyone with a concussion has a normal CT scan.
4. It is OK to let someone fall asleep after being hit in the head. With careful monitoring, rest and sleep will be helpful.
5. “Warm Up for Return” is a graded process that requires a minimum of five days.
6. 9 out of 10 athletes will be back to normal within two weeks. They may miss a few games.
7. Kansas law requires a physician’s signature (MD/DO) to "Return to Play."
8. Athletes who return to full contact too early risk Second Impact Syndrome, a rare but devastating brain injury that may result in death.
9. Concussions can affect driving, school work, sleep, emotions, relationships and self worth.
10. The "game plan" is not just about returning an athlete to their sport, it is about returning the person back to their life.
KansasSportsConcussionPartnership
Game plan for the education, recognition, and management of sports related head injuries.
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