Concussions are not just in the domain of contact sports; they can occur on the playground, on the job or during virtually any other activity.
"Although sports-related concussions receive a lot of media and research attention, we see a significant number of youth who sustain injuries as a result of motor vehicle accidents, assaults, falls and other schoolyard accidents," said Dr. Michael Ellis, a neurosurgeon and Medical Director of the Pan Am Concussion Program. "Therefore it is very important that all sport and school stakeholders are educated on the signs and symptoms of concussion and know what to do if a concussion is suspected."
Dr. Ellis was a key consultant on the Winnipeg School Division's new Concussion Protocol. The document was introduced to aid administrators and staff in the management of students who have sustained a suspected concussion as the result of participating in school and sport activities. The protocol is based on Parachute Canada's recently published Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport.
"This protocol will be applied to any situation where a student is suspected of sustaining a concussion, whether it occurs in athletic events, recess or elsewhere," said WSD Phys. Ed. Consultant David Bard. "There has been increased information about concussions in the media in recent years, and obviously parents, students, teachers and coaches are all very concerned that they are handled properly."
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