IHSAA CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT

Definitions: Health-Care Professional: An Indiana licensed health care provider who has been trained in evaluations and management of concussions and head injuries, and includes a medical doctor (MD) or doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) who holds an unlimited license to practice medicine in the state of Indiana. * In cases where an assigned IHSAA tournament physician (MD/DO) is present, his or her decision regarding any potential concussion, or to forbid an athlete to return to competition, may not be overruled.

CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT As an official, a common question typically arises during a competition when a concussive event has occurred. There may be a parent in the stands with a medical background of some sort. This DOES NOT permit them to clear the athlete; whether it is their child or not. Those possibly in a related health field, but NOT able to diagnose or clear an athlete once a potential concussion or head injury has occurred: Registered Nurse Chiropractor School Personnel NOT able to clear an athlete for participation: Head Coach School Administration

What is a Concussion? National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) & the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that interferes with normal function of the brain. It occurs when the brain is rocked back and forth or twisted inside the skull as a result of a blow to the head or body. What may appear to be only a mild jolt or blow to the head or body can result in a concussion.

What is a concussion? In previous years, it was the belief that a player had to lose consciousness or be “knocked-out” to have a concussion. This is not true, as the vast majority of concussions do not involve a loss of consciousness. In fact, less than 10% of players actually lose consciousness with a concussion.

Recognition and Management Parents and coaches are not expected to be able to “diagnose” a concussion. That is the role of an appropriate health-care professional. However, you must be aware of the signs, symptoms and behaviors of a possible concussion, and if you suspect that an athlete may have a concussion, then he or she must be immediately removed from all physical activity. When in doubt, sit them out!

Recognition and Management When you suspect that a player has a concussion, follow the “Heads Up” 4-step Action Plan. 1. Remove the athlete from play. 2. Ensure that the athlete is evaluated by an appropriate health-care professional. 3. Inform the athlete’s parents or guardians 4. Keep the athlete out of play the day of the injury and until an appropriate health-care professional clears the athlete for competition.

Recognition and Management The signs, symptoms, and behaviors of a concussion are not always apparent immediately after a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body and may develop over a few hours. An athlete should be observed following a suspected concussion and should never be left alone.

Return to Play After suffering a concussion, no athlete should return to play or practice on that same day. Previously, athletes were allowed to return to play if their symptoms resolved within 15 minutes of the injury. Newer studies have shown us that the young brain does not recover quickly enough for an athlete to return to activity in such a short time. An athlete should never be allowed to resume physical activity following a concussion until he or she is symptom free and given the approval to resume physical activity by an appropriate health-care provider.

Return to Play Once an athlete no longer exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors of a concussion, the health-care professional will proceed in a step-wise fashion to allow the brain to re-adjust to exercise. In most cases, the athlete will progress one step each day.

Return to Play As an official, once the athlete has been removed from play due to a suspected concussion, he/she may NOT be permitted to return to play unless they have been cleared by the appropriate health-care professional on site. When in doubt, sit them out!

Concussion in Sports – What You Need To Know

IHSAA Policy Regarding Concussion 1. No student athlete should return to play or practice on the same day that he/she suffers a concussion. 2. Any student athlete suspected of having a concussion should be evaluated by an appropriate Health -Care Professional that day. (a.) If it is confirmed during a contest or practice by the school’s Health-Care Professional that the student did not sustain a concussion or head injury, the Health-Care Professional shall issue clearance to return to play. Only AFTER this clearance from an appropriate Health-Care Professional, may a head coach advise the officials (during an appropriate stoppage of play) and the athlete reenter the game.

IHSAA Policy Regarding Concussion (b.) If the event occurred during a contest, the contest concludes, and the Health-Care Professional did NOT clear the student athlete for return to play, the student athlete should be subject to an appropriate return to play protocol which includes clearance to return to play, in writing, by a Health-Care Provider, (MD/DO) and should not be issued on the same date on which the athlete was removed from play. 3. Any student athlete with a concussion or head injury should be medically cleared by an appropriate Health-Care Provider prior to resuming participation in any practice or competition. After medical clearance by an appropriate health care Provider, return to play should follow a step-wise protocol with provisions for the delay of the return to play based upon the return of any signs or symptoms.

IHSAA Policy Regarding Concussion 4. The Official’s Role in Recognizing a Concussive Event: (a.)If, during a contest, an official observes a player and suspects that the player has suffered a head concussion or head injury by exhibiting concussive signs (including appearing dazed, stunned, confused, disoriented, to have memory loss, or the athlete is either unconscious or apparently unconscious), the official should notify a coach that a player is apparently injured and advise that the player should be examined by an appropriate Health-Care Professional. (b.) If a concussion event occurred during a contest, and regardless of whether the student athlete returns to play or not, following the contest, an official’s report shall be filed with the school of the removed player, including the athletic director, by the Official that initially removed the student athlete from play; this report may be found on the IHSAA website at under the Schools Tab, under Forms and onwww.ihsaa.org the IHSAA Arbiter Central Hub under the forms button.