GROESBECK

http://www.uiltexas.org/health/info/concussions

Groesbeck ISD takes head injuries and concussions very seriously. Any athlete who exhibits signs or symptoms of a concussion, or has abnormal cognitive testing, will be removed from participation and will not be allowed to return to play until further evaluated. “When in doubt, hold them out!” If you suspect your child has sustained a concussion, contact with the athletic trainer needs to be made immediately, either by you or through the athlete’s coach. The athletic trainer is trained to comprehensively evaluate a potential concussion and will refer as needed. 

It is a new requirement as of Fall 2017 for every participant of a Groesbeck High School contact sport to complete a baseline concussion test conducted by the LAT. This allows for a better comparison of cognitive and balance abilities before and after a suspected minor traumatic brain injury has occurred. This test takes less than 5 minutes to complete and is instrumental in allowing the LAT to make a more informed decision about whether or not to suspect a concussion. 

The following are observed & reported signs of a concussion:

Observed Signs (by athletic trainer or coach):

1. Dazed or stunned appearance

2. Confusion about assignment, play, score

3. Memory loss

4. Altered coordination

5. Balance problems

6. Personality changes

7. Responds slowly to questions

8. Forgets events either prior to hit or post hit

9. Loss of consciousness (any duration)**

10. Slurring words**

11. Vomitting**

**denotes red flag – immediate transport to ER

Reported Symptoms (by athlete):

1. Headache

2. Fatigue

3. Nausea 

4. Double or blurry vision

5. Sensitivity to light or noise

6. Feels “sluggish” or “foggy”

7. Problems concentrating

8. Problems remembering

Once a concussion is suspected…

• By law, the athlete must be evaluated by a physician before returning to play if the athletic trainer suspects a concussion has been sustained. **This does NOT necessarily mean a trip to the Emergency Room.** The athletic trainer will give the parents/guardians a professional opinion shortly after the time of incident as to whether or not it is deemed necessary to be further evaluated by an ER physician. If not, we work very closely with the physicians at Southwest Sports Medicine & Orthopedics in Waco and it will be highly recommended to the parents/guardians to schedule an appointment with one of the qualified doctors who practice there. 
• After a physician has released the athlete into the athletic trainer’s care and has been completely symptom free for 24 hours, he/she will begin the Return-to-Play protocol we have in place here at GISD, which will be orchestrated by the athletic trainer with the help of coaches. (May vary depending on sport)
  • *** 24 hour period in between each step***

    • Light aerobic exercise

    • Speed & agility, sports specific drills

    • Non- contact sports specific drills, and weight training

    • Contact sports specific drills (no live) and weight training

    • Introduction to full non-contact, live practice

  • ​If no symptoms occur during protocol, they will be released to full competition

  • IF A FOOTBALL PLAYER SUSTAINS A CONCUSSION ON A THURSDAY OR FRIDAY NIGHT, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE WILL THEY BE ALLOWED TO PLAY THE VERY NEXT WEEK.

• There is also a UIL Concussion Management Protocol Return-to-Play Form that must be signed by a parent/guardian and returned to the athletic trainer before the student-athlete’s full return to participation.