CONCUSSION PROTOCOL AND RESOURCES
On August 3rd, 2015, Governor Rauner signed into law SB 07 (Public Act 99-245). The legislation focuses primarily on concussion management at the middle school/junior high school and high school levels. The legislation amends the School Code and is a requirement for all schools.
The rule requires “any player who exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion (such as loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion, or balance problems) shall be immediately removed from the game and shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate health care professional.” In applying that rule in Illinois, it has been determined that only certified athletic trainers and physicians licensed to practice medicine in all its branches in Illinois can clear an athlete to return to play the day of a contest in which the athlete has been removed from the contest for a possible head injury.
Policy: In cases when an athlete is not cleared to return to play the same day as he/she is removed from a contest following a possible head injury (i.e., concussion), the athlete shall not return to play or practice until the athlete is evaluated by and receives written clearance from a licensed health care provider to return to play. For the purposes of this policy, licensed health care providers consist of physicians licensed to practice medicine in all its branches in Illinois and certified athletic trainers working in conjunction with physicians licensed to practice medicine in all its branches in Illinois.
Definition of a Concussion: A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that interferes with normal brain function. An athlete does not have to lose consciousness (be “knocked out”) to have suffered a concussion. Behavior or signs observed indicative of a possible concussion Symptoms reported by a player indicative of a possible concussion:
• Loss of consciousness • Appears dazed or stunned • Appears confused • Forgets plays • Unsure of game, score, or opponent • Moves clumsily • Answers questions slowly • Shows behavior or personality changes • Can’t recall events prior to or after the injury • Headache • Nausea • Balance problems or dizziness • Double or fuzzy vision • Sensitivity to light or noise • Feeling sluggish • Feeling foggy or groggy • Concentration or memory problems • Confusion
NOTE: The persons who should be alert for such signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion in an athlete include appropriate health-care professionals, coaches, officials, parents, teammates, and, if conscious, the athlete him/herself.
Policy: In cases when an athlete is not cleared to return to play the same day as he/she is removed from a contest following a possible head injury (i.e., concussion), the athlete shall not return to play or practice until the athlete is evaluated by and receives written clearance from a licensed health care provider to return to play. For the purposes of this policy, licensed health care providers consist of physicians licensed to practice medicine in all its branches in Illinois and certified athletic trainers working in conjunction with physicians licensed to practice medicine in all its branches in Illinois.
Definition of a Concussion: A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that interferes with normal brain function. An athlete does not have to lose consciousness (be “knocked out”) to have suffered a concussion. Behavior or signs observed indicative of a possible concussion Symptoms reported by a player indicative of a possible concussion:
• Loss of consciousness • Appears dazed or stunned • Appears confused • Forgets plays • Unsure of game, score, or opponent • Moves clumsily • Answers questions slowly • Shows behavior or personality changes • Can’t recall events prior to or after the injury • Headache • Nausea • Balance problems or dizziness • Double or fuzzy vision • Sensitivity to light or noise • Feeling sluggish • Feeling foggy or groggy • Concentration or memory problems • Confusion
NOTE: The persons who should be alert for such signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion in an athlete include appropriate health-care professionals, coaches, officials, parents, teammates, and, if conscious, the athlete him/herself.
The officials will have no role in determining concussion other than the obvious situation where a player is unconscious or apparently unconscious as is provided for under the previous rule. Officials will merely point out to a coach that a player is apparently injured and advise the coach that the player should be examined by the school-approved health care provider.
Students with suspected concussions can not be cleared to return to play until the form below is completed by a licensed physician.
post-concussion_consent_form__rpt-rtl_.pdf | |
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