Concussion Information
Sports concussion policy at NPCSD
The complete New Paltz Concussion Policy
What is a concussion?
According to the CDC a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI— caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth. This fast movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging the brain cells.
See the CDC’s Heads Up concussion information sheet for additional information, especially if you suspect your child may have sustained a concussion. https://www.cdc.gov/heads-up/media/pdfs/youthsports/Parent_Athlete_Info_Sheet-a.pdf
If you believe your child may have sustained a concussion that was unreported to school staff, please contact either the nurses’ office, athletic training, or reach out to the athletic office.
Prevention and preparation
Education for individuals supervising athletics
Each school coach, physical education teacher, school nurse, and certified athletic trainer who works with and/or provides instruction to students in school-sponsored athletic activities will complete a training every two years relating to recognizing the symptoms of concussions or TBIs and monitoring and seeking proper medical treatment for students who suffer from a concussion or TBI. Since concussion symptoms may manifest themselves in any setting, all staff will be encouraged to take the online training and be alert for students who may display or report concussion symptoms.
Baseline neurocognitive testing
The District may, in collaboration with the medical director, allow district staff who are appropriately licensed or certified health care professionals and credentialed to use validated neurocognitive computerized testing to review and obtain baseline and post-concussion performance data. These tools are not a replacement for a medical evaluation to diagnose a concussion or clear a student to return to activities. The District may seek authorization from the parent prior to the testing. Additionally, parents may be given a copy of the results.
At present, the district uses the Sway Medical program to assist with concussion management. All athletes in collision or contact sports** at the JV & Varsity Level. will record a baseline test at the beginning of their seasons. Non contact athletes do not need to record a baseline, although the program remains helpful should an unlikely or non sport related injury occur. Baseline testing will be conducted by Athletic Training in coordination with each team’s coach to arrange a time. Your student will be asked to use a phone enabled to download the Sway Medical app for testing, please arrange parental permissions accordingly, or download the app at home in advance. If your student does not have a device, a device may be available at the school. Please see additional information about Sway Medical here:
**New Paltz Contact Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Volleyball and Wrestling. **
Grounds for Removal
The District requires the immediate removal from all athletic activities of any student who has sustained, or is believed to have sustained, a TBI or concussion. Any student demonstrating signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion while participating in a class, extracurricular activity, or interscholastic athletic activity will be removed from the class, game, or activity and must be evaluated as soon as possible by an appropriate health care professional. This removal must occur based on display of symptoms regardless of whether the injury occurred inside or outside of school. If there is any doubt as to whether the student has sustained a concussion, it will be presumed that the student has been injured until proven otherwise. The District will notify the student's parents and recommend appropriate evaluation and monitoring.
Steps to return to play
A student will not return to physical activity (including athletics, physical education class, and recess) until they have been symptom-free for at least 24 hours, and have been evaluated and received written and signed authorization from a licensed physician. This written authorization should be sent to the school for review by the District's Medical Director. Additionally, the District's Medical Director has the final authority to clear students to participate in or return to extracurricular athletic activities.
Return to play following physician clearance will follow best practice recommendation found in the CDC Heads Up program 6 step return to sport program. Each step typically takes a minimum of 24 hours. It is important for an athlete’s parent(s) and coach(es) to watch for concussion symptoms after each day’s return to sports progression activity.
An athlete should only move to the next step if they do not have any new symptoms at the current step. If an athlete’s symptoms come back or if he or she gets new symptoms, this is a sign that the athlete is pushing too hard. The athlete should stop these activities and the athlete’s medical provider should be contacted. After more rest and no concussion symptoms, the athlete can start at the previous step.
For all Non sports related concussion, please see the school nurse
Please see CDC’s Head Up website for a detailed description of each step.