Concussion Care

Crescent School is at the forefront of concussion management. Crescent collaborates with Holland Bloorview Concussion Centre, a world leader in youth concussion care. Together, we are improving concussion awareness and education, and designing concussion care protocols that ensure the safety of all students at Crescent. Our goal is to help our boys who sustain concussions get back to doing the things they need, want and love to do.

Concussions are one of the most common injuries among children and youth. If not managed early and effectively, they can result in significant physical, mental, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The Ontario government now requires schools to develop stronger concussion policies and protocols given the critical role a child’s school plays in managing a concussion.

What is a concussion?

A concussion is a brain injury that can affect how your brain works. Concussions may happen because of a hit to the head, face, neck or somewhere else on the body. They can happen anywhere, not just in sports. When a hit takes place, the brain moves back and forth inside the skull. If it moves hard enough, the brain can become injured. This can make your brain and body work and feel differently.

Everyone’s concussion experience is different and not everyone reacts the same way. You can experience different signs and symptoms after having a concussion and you only need a single symptom to treat a suspected concussion. It is important to note that symptoms make take up to 24-48 hours to appear. The graphic below identifies some of the common and less commonly known signs of concussion.

Some people recover from concussion quickly, while the road to recovery is longer for others. It’s hard to predict how long a concussion will last but there are certain steps that can speed recovery.

There are a few rules to follow on the path to concussion recovery:

1. Return to school/daily life must ALWAYS precede a return to sports.
2. Return to daily life should be gradual and step-by-step; do not rush!
3. Listen to your body; your symptoms will tell you when to progress.