(C)
Policy
definitions
The fifth international conference on
concussion in sport defines concussion as follows:
Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a
traumatic brain injury induced by biomechanical forces. Several common features
that may be utilized to clinically define the nature of a concussion head
injury include:
(1)
SRC may be caused either by a direct blow to the head,
face, neck or elsewhere on the body with an impulsive force transmitted to the
head.
(2)
SRC typically results in the rapid onset of short-lived
impairment of neurological function that resolves spontaneously. However, in
some cases, signs and symptoms evolve over a number of minutes to
hours.
(3)
SRC may result in neuropathological changes, but the
acute clinical signs and symptoms largely reflect a functional disturbance
rather than a structural injury and, as such, no abnormality is seen on
standard structural neuroimaging studies.
(4)
SRC results in a
range of clinical signs and symptoms that may or may not involve loss of
consciousness. Resolution of the clinical and cognitive features typically
follows a sequential course. However, in some cases symptoms may be
prolonged.
(5)
The clinical signs and symptoms cannot be explained by
drug, alcohol or medication use, other injuries (such as cervical injuries,
peripheral vestibular dysfunction, etc.) or other comorbidities (e.g.,
psychological factors or coexisting medical conditions).
(D)
Policy
(1)
Preseason education
(a)
All BGSU
student-athletes must read the NCAA concussion fact Sheet and sign the student-
athlete concussion statement acknowledging that they:
(i)
Have read and
understand the NCAA concussion fact sheet;
(ii)
Accept the
responsibility for reporting injuries and illnesses (including signs and
symptoms of concussions) to the BGSU sports medicine staff.
(b)
All
BGSU athletics administrators (with sport oversight) and coaches (including
head, assistants, and strength & conditioning) must read and sign the coach
concussion statement acknowledging that they:
(i)
Have read and
understand the NCAA concussion fact sheet;
(ii)
Will encourage
student-athletes to report any suspected injuries and illnesses (including
signs and symptoms of a concussion) to the BGSU sports medicine staff and that
they accept the responsibility for referring any student-athlete suspected of
sustaining a concussion to the sports medicine staff.
(c)
All
BGSU sports medicine staff members and designated team physicians must read and
sign the BGSU medical staff concussion statement acknowledging that they:
(i)
Have read and
understand the NCAA concussion fact sheet;
(ii)
Have read and
understand the BGSU Concussion and Head Injury Management
Guidelines.
(2)
Reducing exposure
to head trauma
Bowling Green state university is
committed to student-athlete health and safety. To that end, Bowling Green
state university will be proactive in efforts to minimize exposure to head
trauma. The following procedures are in place:
(a)
Bowling Green
state university teams will adhere to existing ethical standards in all
practices and competitions.
(b)
Using playing or
protective equipment (including the helmet) as a weapon will be prohibited
during all practices and competitions.
(c)
Deliberately
inflicting injury on another player will be prohibited in all practices and
competitions.
(d)
All playing and protective equipment (including
helmets), as applicable, will meet relevant equipment safety standards and
related certification requirements.
(e)
Bowling Green
state university will keep the head out of blocking and tackling in
contact/collision, helmeted practices and competitions.
(3)
Pre-participation assessment
Annually, all NCAA student-athletes
will undergo a pre-participation baseline concussion assessment before each
season. This pre-participation assessment will, at a minimum, include
assessment for the following:
(4)
Recognition of
concussion
A member of the Bowling Green state
university medical team with training in the diagnosis, treatment and initial
management of concussion will be present at all NCAA competitions in the
following contact/collision sports: men's and women's basketball; football; ice
hockey; men's and women's soccer).
NOTE: to be present means to be on site
at the venue or arena of the competition.
A member of the Bowling Green state
university medical team with training in the diagnosis, treatment and initial
management of concussion will be available at all NCAA practices in the
following contact/collision sports: men's and women's basketball; football; ice
hockey; men's and women's soccer).
NOTE: to be available means that, at a
minimum, medical personnel can be contacted at any time during the practice via
telephone, messaging, email, beeper or other immediate communication means.
Further, the case can be discussed through such communication, and immediate
arrangements can be made for the athlete to be evaluated.
(5)
Diagnosis of concussion
Symptoms of concussion include, but are
not limited to:
(a)
physical symptoms of headache, nausea, balance
problems, dizziness, visual difficulty, fatigue, sensitivity to light,
sensitivity to noise, headache, feeling "out of it" or "foggy," vision changes,
feeling dazed or stunned;
(b)
cognitive symptoms of feeling mentally foggy or slowed
down, difficulty concentrating, difficulty remembering, forgetfulness,
confusion, feeling slow;
(c)
emotional symptoms of irritability, sadness,
nervousness, feeling more emotional;
(d)
sleep symptoms of
drowsiness, sleeping more or less than usual, difficulty falling asleep.
Visible signs of concussion include but
are not limited to: lying motionless; unconsciousness; vomiting; vacant look;
slow to get up; balance difficulty or incoordination; clutching the
head.
(6)
Response to apparent concussion
If an athlete, teammate, coach,
official or member of the medical staff identifies signs, symptoms or behaviors
consistent with concussion, the following will take place
immediately:
(a)
The athlete must be removed from practice or
competition for evaluation.
(b)
The athlete must
be evaluated by a member of the medical team with concussion
experience.
(c)
The athlete must be removed from practice/play for
that calendar day if concussion is confirmed. The athlete can return to
competition if a suspected concussion is not diagnosed as a
concussion.
(7)
Emergency action plan
An emergency action plan will be in
place for any suspected or diagnosed concussion. This plan includes rehearsed
arrangements for emergency medical transportation. The emergency action plan
will be activated for any of the following:
(a)
Glasgow coma
scale < 13.
(b)
Prolonged loss of consciousness.
(c)
Focal
neurological deficit suggesting intracranial trauma.
(e)
Persistently diminished/worsening mental status or
other neurological signs/symptoms.
(8)
Post-concussion management
Because concussion may evolve or
manifest over time, for all suspected or diagnosed concussions, there will be
in place a mechanism for serial evaluation of the athlete.
For all cases of diagnosed concussion,
the athlete and another responsible adult will be provided oral and/or written
care regarding concussion management. Such instructions must be
documented.
As most athletes with concussion have
resolution of symptoms in seven to ten days, all athletes who have prolonged
recovery more than two weeks will be re-evaluated by a physician. Such
re-evaluation will be performed to confirm the concussion diagnosis, or to
consider co-morbid or post-concussion diagnoses such as: sleep dysfunction;
migraine or other headache disorders; mood disorders such as anxiety and
depression; ocular or vestibular dysfunction; cervicalgia/neck pain; other
post-concussion diagnoses.
(9)
Return to
sport
Each return-to-play plan will be
individualized and supervised by a Bowling Green state university health care
provider with expertise in concussion management. Final determination of
return-to-play will be made by the Bowling Green state university physician or
their qualified physician designee.
(10)
Return to
learn
Returning to academic activities after
a concussion is a parallel concept to returning to play after concussion. After
concussion, brain energy may not be available to perform normal cognitive
exertion and function. The return-to-learn concept should follow an
individualized and step-wise process overseen by a point person within the
athletics department, who will work in conjunction with a multidisciplinary
team. The Bowling Green state university multidisciplinary team may vary
student-to-student, depending on the difficulty in returning to a normal school
schedule. Such team may include, but not necessarily be limited
to:
(c)
Neuropsychologist consultant.
(d)
Faculty athletics
representative.
(f)
Course
instructor(s).
(g)
College administrators.
(h)
Office of
assessibility services.
(i)
Coaches.
Replaces: 3341-8-1