Concussion management tools adapted for use by educational institutions and in the context of sports and recreational activities

• Recognize that an impact to the head or body during violent contact, a collision or a fall puts them at risk of a concussion and withdraw from an activity, if necessary.
• Report any symptoms that may be related to a concussion.
• Report any incident they have witnessed.
• Follow the instructions given by a qualified healthcare professional, if applicable, and the procedure for returning to learning activities (RLA) and to physical and sports activities (RPSA) from the Concussion Management Protocol (PDF 909 Kb).
• Fill out the tracking sheet (PDF 782 Kb) in order to record recovery progress and report on the progression of the steps for the progressive return to activities.
• Inform the various stakeholders of their state of health and any related restrictions.

It is important to report the symptoms of a concussion in order to rest and to begin the progressive return to activities at the right time, with activities that are adapted based on the participant’s medical condition. This encourages optimal recovery for the brain.

• Watch carefully for delayed symptoms of a concussion because they can appear up to 48 hours after an incident. Refer to the Concussion Management Protocol (PDF 909 Kb)as well as to the tracking sheet (PDF 782 Kb) in order to have a good understanding of the possible symptoms and manifestations of this type of injury.
• Take the steps needed to obtain proper care.
• With the agreement of the young person, inform the various stakeholders from different contexts (educational institutions, sports and recreational organizations) of their child’s state of health.
• Encourage the return to activities in line with the advice provided by a qualified healthcare professional, if necessary, or the Protocol, and support the young person in carrying out the steps of the strategies for returning to all activities.
• Act as a reassuring figure for the young person.
• Stay alert for the appearance of psychological signs (e.g. anxiety, depression).

• Ensure that the participant is removed from the activity following an event which has put them at risk of a concussion and ensure that symptoms are checked while monitoring the changes in their state of health.
• If warning signs are present, call 9-1-1 or ensure that another person has done so.
• With the consent of the participant, if they are 14 years of age or older, inform the parents of a minor as soon as possible about the strategies that need to be put in place in order for the participant to resume all of their activities and to optimize recovery. Ask parents to refer to the tools that are available, such as the Concussion Management Protocol (PDF 909 Kb) and the tracking sheet (PDF 782 Kb).
• With the consent of the participant or their parents, if the participant is a minor, inform all the staff involved of the participant’s condition and describe the measures that must be implemented.
• Ensure that the return to all activities takes place in line with the advice provided by a qualified healthcare professional, if necessary, and with the strategies for returning to activities provided in the Protocol.

In a situation where the protocol is integrated into the practices of a professional healthcare team (e.g. athletic therapist, physiotherapist, kinesiologist) with concussion-related expertise working under medical supervision, the Concussion Management Protocol can be applied with a degree of flexibility that allows the professional to use their clinical judgment. Individuals who have the skills required to use these tools may use other established recognition tools (SCAT6, ChildSCAT6, Pocket CRT) that comply with the basic standards of the protocol.

• Record the incident in the appropriate injury log.
• Analyze the incidents and add new preventative measures, if necessary.
• Support the staff who are involved in applying the procedure based on the advice of the qualified healthcare professional, if one has been consulted, and the Concussion Management Protocol (PDF 909 Kb).
• Raise awareness among all facility staff and users, in particular by posting preventative measures.

• Inform and equip the staff (updated protocol and tracking sheet).
• Coordinate the actions of the school staff while a participant is returning to learning, physical and sports activities.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the memory aid for your type of educational institution:

• Post-secondary (PDF 342 Kb)
• Vocational training and adult education (PDF 346 Kb)
• Elementary and secondary school (PDF 343 Kb)

For participants who are attending school, teachers have an important role to play, especially regarding the return to learning activities. They must:

• Understand the repercussions that a concussion may have on a student’s ability to function in a school environment.
• Support a school-aged participant in the process of returning to learning activities by allowing them to use some adaptation measures, such as by allowing a student to write their exams in a calm environment.
• Be aware of the possible signs and symptoms of a concussion and refer to the Concussion Management Protocol if necessary.

Physical education teachers have a role to play, specifically in the return to physical and sports activities. They must:

• Be familiar with the Concussion Management Protocol and refer to it in order to help school-aged participants gradually return to physical and sports activities.
• Take into consideration changes in the participant’s state of health as well as the information recorded in the tracking sheet in order to adapt the intensity of the activity.
• Guide the participant, if necessary, through the steps of the strategies for returning to physical and sports activities (RPSA).
• Support participants in implementing strategies for returning to learning activities (RLA), in particular and if necessary, by acting as a bridge between the teachers involved in rehabilitation and the participant.