Susan Davies - Managing Concussions in Schools: A Guide to Recognition, Response, and Leadership

Managing Concussions in Schools

Susan C. Davies, EdD, NCSP, is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the School Psychology Program at the University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio. A nationally certified school psychologist, she is the founder and coordinator of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Traumatic Brain Injury Interest Group. Dr. Davies currently advises the Ohio Department of Health on developing and leading a return-to-learn concussion team model for Ohio schools. She also served as a participant in the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Expert Concussion Workgroup and as a reviewer of the American Academy of Neurologys revised sport concussion policy. She has over 15 years of experience in the field of school psychology as a practicing psychologist, program evaluator, and university faculty member. The primary focus of her research addresses traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in school populations, including such issues as increasing educator awareness of TBI, efficacy of specific interventions, and developing model service plans for students with TBI. Her work has been published in such peer-reviewed publications as Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, Contemporary School Psychology, Physical Disabilities and Related Services, School Psychology Forum, Psychology in the Schools, Journal of Applied School Psychology, Brain Injury, and Best Practices in School Psychology: Systems-Level Services, the flagship manual of the profession. She is the coauthor (with Paul Jantz and Erin Bigler) of Working with Traumatic Brain Injury in Schools (2014). She has presented on this topic at national and regional conferences as well as providing in-service training to educators.

Managing Concussions in Schools

A Guide to Recognition, Response, and
Leadership

SUSAN C. DAVIES, EdD, NCSP

Copyright 2016 Springer Publishing Company, LLC

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Davies, Susan C., author.

Title: Managing concussions in schools : a front-line guide to recognition,
response, and leadership / Susan C. Davies.

Description: New York, NY : Springer Publishing Company, LLC, [2016] |
Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016013690| ISBN 9780826169228 | ISBN 9780826169235 (e-ISBN)

Subjects: | MESH: Brain Concussionprevention & control | School Health
Services

Classification: LCC RC394.C7 | NLM WL 354 | DDC 617.4/81044dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016013690

Printed in the United States of America by McNaughton & Gunn.

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

PREFACE

Early one morning, I received a frantic call from my friend Beth.

Joey got hit in the head really hard with a soccer ball during his game last night. He seemed okay at first and went back in to finish the half. But then he looked kind of queasy after the game was overhe didnt even want the snack afterward! And he was very quiet on the way home. He said he was fine, but then he went right to sleep. This morning he has a bad headache and he just wants to stay in bed. Do you think he has a concussion? Should I take him to the hospital?

Beth was a coach, a parent, and a high school teacher. She had no idea what to do.

This was several years ago. Because of the prominence and number of news stories related to the potential dangers of concussions, laws have been passed in all states that require a return-to-play protocol for student athletes. As a coach, Beth is now required to attend concussion training; as a parent, she is required to sign a document verifying that she has read about concussions and understands the risk associated with her childrens selected sports. As an educator, however, nothing definite is required of her. Like most teachers, Beth has received no specific training or professional development on what to do for classroom-related concerns if one of her students is suffering from the effects of a concussion.

The need for this book

There is an overall lack of understanding about concussions in school communities, as well as a lack of understanding about how to support a student with a known concussion. Despite widespread media attention and increased scientific scrutiny, concussions remain a source of misunderstanding and controversy. While a number of reputable online resources provide guidance to help students return to school postconcussion (see ), there was a need for a single comprehensive text to provide guidance to school-based professionals as they navigate the barriers, system issues, knowledge gaps, and complexities in recognizing and responding to student concussions. And while there were a number of existing books that addressed traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) broadly, none focused exclusively on helping school-based professionals recognize and respond to concussion.

Because there is no bandage or cast, it can be difficult for educators to fully understand the needs of the student with a concussion. Just as we wouldnt expect a student who has broken a leg to run laps in gym class, we cannot expect the student with an injured brain to complete all of the mental exercises expected in a typical school day.