Dear Parents,
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that results from a bump, blow or jolt to the head, or a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce or even twist inside the skull, stretching and damaging brain cells and creating chemical changes in the brain.
Because a single concussion is seldom life-threatening, concussions may be referred to as mild traumatic brain injuries, or mTBIs, to distinguish concussions from TBIs with more severe long-term outcomes. Despite this label, the effects of a concussion can still be very serious and should be treated as such. The brain continues to grow and develop into the mid-twenties; disruptions to that development from a TBI in childhood and adolescence can have long-term consequences on brain function.
TBIs have many causes: falls; motor vehicle crashes; sports/recreation activities; assaults, including domestic violence and/or child abuse; abusive head trauma (also known as Shaken Baby Syndrome); gunshot wounds.
Here at MCHS we take these injuries seriously and will follow the recommended procedures to get your child back to sports safely. One very important procedure that we will follow is that everyone diagnosed with a concussion will complete a Return To Play Protocol. Thanks to our District Athletic Director the district has purchased baseline concussion software SWAY MEDICAL to help the medical staff make sound decisions about the safety of your child's return to play. If your child has not had a baseline test please refer to the test codes file below or reach out the the Head Athletic Trainer to get one scheduled. For more information about concussions please visit the CDC and watch this video from Concussionfoundation.org
Thank you,
