Concussion training could be mandatory for parents of Canton athletes
The School Committee is considering a policy that would monitor student-athletes for concussion and other head injuries and require parents to take a course in order for their children to play in school sports.
Athletic Director Dan Erickson told the School Committee Feb. 2 that concussion awareness among students, parents, and coaches has increased 20-fold in the last year.
Erickson said that Athletic Trainer Dick Staiti, Nurse Leader Janet Donnelly and he were trained in how to administer tests to student-athletes that measure cognitive abilities before and after a head injury. The 45-minute web-based tests can be used by school officials and primary care physicians if an athlete is injured, he said.
“It gives us a very good tool,” he said.
Since the winter of 2010, the high school has tested 370 student-athletes, and the tests are valid for two years, Erickson said.
“My hope is to be able to offer it to high school freshmen at the beginning of next year, basically when they walk in the door,” he said.
The freshmen student-athletes then would take the baseline test again in their junior year. All coaches would be trained in March or April, Erickson said.
Donnelly said the state Department of Public Health has given a March 1 deadline for school districts to put concussion policies into place.
Under DPH regulations, students-athletes must fill out concussion and head injury report forms before they may play. Anyone who suspects a head injury must fill out a report form. A doctor would need to fill out a detailed medical clearance and authorization form before a student-athlete could return to academics and athletics, Donnelly said.
Parents also are required by the state to take a 20-minute online course, and sign off on it, before their children can participate in athletics, she said.
“It’s a very labor-intensive activity to do,” Donnelly said.
She said athletes, parents, coaches, trainers and anyone else involved in athletics would get education on concussions and head injuries every year.
The concussion policy will come before the School Committee again Feb. 16 for a second reading.
“You guys have rolled out a very important policy and done a great job,” said School Committee member Reuki Schutt.