Concussion Management

Concussion Management: Educational (K-12)

  1. Assessment results and recommendations for participation in educational and physical activities in school, including classes, related academic work, physical education, recess, extracurricular activities, and intramural or interscholastic sports will be provided to the school nurse by the family and/or student's physician.
  2. Authorization for exchange of information will be provided to parents/guardians for signature.
  3. Physician notes requesting academic adjustments of any type related to the diagnosis of concussion will be shared with the school academic team which will review the adjustments and implement reasonable short term accommodations.
  4. When a student requires educational adjustments beyond three weeks, the school nurse will advise the parents of the possibility of the school district's request for an assessment by a qualified neurologist or concussion specialist.
  5. When the student is requiring educational adjustments beyond three weeks as determined by recommendations, a team meeting with the academic team will be convened to develop an IHCP to address appropriate health services/educational supports and accommodations and to review the "return to leave" process.
  6. As appropriate, the school nurse will obtain data from the academic team and report follow-up data including school attendance, academic performance and symptom assessment to the physician prior to the medical evaluation.
  7. When a student is receiving adjustments beyond three weeks, medical updates including updated accommodations will be required at least monthly for review by the team.
  8. Once a student has been medically cleared to return to sports, and other high risk activities, the individualized health care plan and academic adjustments related to concussion will be terminated.
  9. Only after a student has been cleared to fully participate in academics can the student be cleared to return to interscholastic and intramural sports.
  10. In the event that a student is unable to attend school and requirements for Home Bound instruction are met, procedures for initiating Home Bound instruction will be initiated.
  11. In the event that a student's concussion symptoms are continuing over an extended period of time and a student is referred for consideration of a disability under Section 504, the Section 504 team will meet to determine if concussion-related accommodations are appropriate.
  12. The Health Services Supervisor, School Medical Advisor and Pupil Services Director will be consulted by the school team as appropriate throughout the above process.