Concussion Fact Sheet
CONC USSION A FACT SHEET FOR COACHES
THE FACTS
t"DPODVTTJPOJTBCSBJOJOKVSZ t"MMDPODVTTJPOTBSFTFSJPVT t$PODVTTJPOTDBOPDDVSXJUIPVUMPTTPGDPOTDJPVTOFTTPSPUIFS PCWJPVTTJHOT t$PODVTTJPOTDBOPDDVSGSPNCMPXTUPUIFCPEZBTXFMMBTUPUIFIFBE t$PODVTTJPOTDBOPDDVSJOanyTQPSU t3FDPHOJUJPOBOEQSPQFSSFTQPOTFUPDPODVTTJPOTXIFOUIFZĕSTU PDDVSDBOIFMQQSFWFOUGVSUIFSJOKVSZPSFWFOEFBUI t"UIMFUFTNBZOPUSFQPSUUIFJSTZNQUPNTGPSGFBSPGMPTJOHQMBZJOHUJNF t"UIMFUFTDBOTUJMMHFUBDPODVTTJPOFWFOJGUIFZBSFXFBSJOHBIFMNFU t%BUBGSPNUIF/$""*OKVSZ4VSWFJMMBODF4ZTUFNTVHHFTUTUIBU DPODVTTJPOTSFQSFTFOUUPQFSDFOUPGBMMSFQPSUFEJOKVSJFT EFQFOEJOHPOUIFTQPSU
WHAT IS A CONCUSSION?
"DPODVTTJPOJTBCSBJOJOKVSZUIBUNBZCFDBVTFECZBCMPXUPUIF IFBE GBDF OFDLPSFMTFXIFSFPOUIFCPEZXJUIBOiJNQVMTJWFwGPSDF USBOTNJUUFEUPUIFIFBE$PODVTTJPOTDBOBMTPSFTVMUGSPNIJUUJOHB IBSETVSGBDFTVDIBTUIFHSPVOE JDFPSĘPPS GSPNQMBZFSTDPMMJEJOH XJUIFBDIPUIFSPSCFJOHIJUCZBQJFDFPGFRVJQNFOUTVDIBTBCBU MBDSPTTFTUJDLPSĕFMEIPDLFZCBMM
RECOGNIZING A POSSIBLE CONCUSSION
5PIFMQSFDPHOJ[FBDPODVTTJPO XBUDIGPSUIFGPMMPXJOHUXPFWFOUT BNPOHZPVSTUVEFOUBUIMFUFTEVSJOHCPUIHBNFTBOEQSBDUJDFT "GPSDFGVMCMPXUPUIFIFBEPSCPEZUIBUSFTVMUTJOSBQJE NPWFNFOUPGUIFIFBE -ANDAny changeJOUIFTUVEFOUBUIMFUFTCFIBWJPS UIJOLJOHPS QIZTJDBMGVODUJPOJOH TFFTJHOTBOETZNQUPNT
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Signs Observed By Coaching Staff t"QQFBSTEB[FEPSTUVOOFE t*TDPOGVTFEBCPVUBTTJHONFOUPSQPTJUJPO t'PSHFUTQMBZT t*TVOTVSFPGHBNF TDPSFPSPQQPOFOU t.PWFTDMVNTJMZ t"OTXFSTRVFTUJPOTTMPXMZ t-PTFTDPOTDJPVTOFTT FWFOCSJFnZ t4IPXTCFIBWJPSPSQFSTPOBMJUZDIBOHFT t$BOUSFDBMMFWFOUTCFGPSFIJUPSGBMM t$BOUSFDBMMFWFOUTBGUFSIJUPSGBMM
Symptoms Reported By Student-Athlete t)FBEBDIFPSiQSFTTVSFwJOIFBE t/BVTFBPSWPNJUJOH t#BMBODFQSPCMFNTPSEJ[[JOFTT t%PVCMFPSCMVSSZWJTJPO t4FOTJUJWJUZUPMJHIU t4FOTJUJWJUZUPOPJTF t'FFMJOHTMVHHJTI IB[Z GPHHZPSHSPHHZ t$PODFOUSBUJPOPSNFNPSZQSPCMFNT t$POGVTJPO t%PFTOPUiGFFMSJHIUw
PREVENTION AND PREPARATION
"TBDPBDI ZPVQMBZBLFZSPMFJOQSFWFOUJOHDPODVTTJPOTBOESFTQPOEJOHUPUIFNQSPQFSMZXIFOUIFZPDDVS)FSFBSFTPNFTUFQTZPVDBOUBLF UPFOTVSFUIFCFTUPVUDPNFGPSZPVSTUVEFOUBUIMFUFT t&EVDBUFTUVEFOUBUIMFUFTBOEDPBDIJOHTUBČBCPVUDPODVTTJPO&YQMBJOZPVSDPODFSOTBCPVUDPODVTTJPOBOEZPVSFYQFDUBUJPOTPGTBGFQMBZ UPTUVEFOUBUIMFUFT BUIMFUJDTTUBČBOEBTTJTUBOUDPBDIFT$SFBUFBOFOWJSPONFOUUIBUTVQQPSUTSFQPSUJOH BDDFTTUPQSPQFSFWBMVBUJPOBOE DPOTFSWBUJWFSFUVSOUPQMBZ o3FWJFXBOEQSBDUJDFZPVSFNFSHFODZBDUJPOQMBOGPSZPVSGBDJMJUZ o,OPXXIFOZPVXJMMIBWFTJEFMJOFNFEJDBMDBSFBOEXIFOZPVXJMMOPU CPUIBUIPNFBOEBXBZ o&NQIBTJ[FUIBUQSPUFDUJWFFRVJQNFOUTIPVMEĕUQSPQFSMZ CFXFMMNBJOUBJOFE BOECFXPSODPOTJTUFOUMZBOEDPSSFDUMZ o3FWJFXUIF$PODVTTJPO'BDU4IFFUGPS4UVEFOU"UIMFUFTXJUIZPVSUFBNUPIFMQUIFNSFDPHOJ[FUIFTJHOTPGBDPODVTTJPO o3FWJFXXJUIZPVSBUIMFUJDTTUBČUIF/$""4QPSUT.FEJDJOF)BOECPPLHVJEFMJOF$PODVTTJPOPS.JME5SBVNBUJD#SBJO*OKVSZ N5#* JOUIF"UIMFUF t*OTJTUUIBUTBGFUZDPNFTĕSTU o5FBDITUVEFOUBUIMFUFTTBGFQMBZUFDIOJRVFTBOEFODPVSBHFUIFNUPGPMMPXUIFSVMFTPGQMBZ o&ODPVSBHFTUVEFOUBUIMFUFTUPQSBDUJDFHPPETQPSUTNBOTIJQBUBMMUJNFT o&ODPVSBHFTUVEFOUBUIMFUFTUPJNNFEJBUFMZSFQPSUTZNQUPNTPGDPODVTTJPO t1SFWFOUMPOHUFSNQSPCMFNT"SFQFBUDPODVTTJPOUIBUPDDVSTCFGPSFUIFCSBJOSFDPWFSTGSPNUIFQSFWJPVTPOF IPVST EBZTPSXFFLT DBOTMPXSFDPWFSZPSJODSFBTFUIFMJLFMJIPPEPGIBWJOHMPOHUFSNQSPCMFNT*OSBSFDBTFT SFQFBUDPODVTTJPOTDBOSFTVMUJOCSBJOTXFMMJOH QFSNBOFOUCSBJOEBNBHFBOEFWFOEFBUI
IF YOU THINK YOUR STUDENT-ATHLETE HAS SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION:
IF A CONCUSSION IS SUSPECTED:
5BLFIJNIFSPVUPGQMBZJNNFEJBUFMZBOEBMMPXBEFRVBUFUJNFGPS FWBMVBUJPOCZBIFBMUIDBSFQSPGFTTJPOBMFYQFSJFODFEJOFWBMVBUJOH GPSDPODVTTJPO
Remove the student-athlete from play.-PPLGPSUIFTJHOTBOE TZNQUPNTPGDPODVTTJPOJGZPVSTUVEFOUBUIMFUFIBTFYQFSJFODFEB CMPXUPUIFIFBE%POPUBMMPXUIFTUVEFOUBUIMFUFUPKVTUiTIBLFJU PČw&BDIJOEJWJEVBMBUIMFUFXJMMSFTQPOEUPDPODVTTJPOTEJČFSFOUMZ
"OBUIMFUFXIPFYIJCJUTTJHOT TZNQUPNTPSCFIBWJPSTDPOTJTUFOUXJUI BDPODVTTJPO FJUIFSBUSFTUPSEVSJOHFYFSUJPO TIPVMECFremoved immediately from practice or competitionBOETIPVMEOPUSFUVSOUP QMBZVOUJMDMFBSFECZBOBQQSPQSJBUFIFBMUIDBSFQSPGFTTJPOBM4QPSUT IBWFJOKVSZUJNFPVUTBOEQMBZFSTVCTUJUVUJPOTTPUIBUTUVEFOUBUIMFUFT DBOHFUDIFDLFEPVU
Ensure that the student-athlete is evaluated right away by an appropriate health care professional.%POPUUSZUPKVEHF UIFTFWFSJUZPGUIFJOKVSZZPVSTFMG*NNFEJBUFMZSFGFSUIFTUVEFOU BUIMFUFUPUIFBQQSPQSJBUFBUIMFUJDTNFEJDBMTUBČ TVDIBTBDFSUJĕFE BUIMFUJDUSBJOFS UFBNQIZTJDJBOPSIFBMUIDBSFQSPGFTTJPOBM FYQFSJFODFEJODPODVTTJPOFWBMVBUJPOBOENBOBHFNFOU Allow the student-athlete to return to play only with permission from a health care professional with experience in evaluating for concussion."MMPXBUIMFUJDTNFEJDBMTUBČUPSFMZ POUIFJSDMJOJDBMTLJMMTBOEQSPUPDPMTJOFWBMVBUJOHUIFBUIMFUFUP FTUBCMJTIUIFBQQSPQSJBUFUJNFUPSFUVSOUPQMBZ"SFUVSOUPQMBZ QSPHSFTTJPOTIPVMEPDDVSJOBOJOEJWJEVBMJ[FE TUFQXJTFGBTIJPO XJUIHSBEVBMJODSFNFOUTJOQIZTJDBMFYFSUJPOBOESJTLPGDPOUBDU Develop a game plan.4UVEFOUBUIMFUFTTIPVMEOPUSFUVSO UPQMBZVOUJMBMMTZNQUPNTIBWFSFTPMWFE CPUIBUSFTUBOE EVSJOHFYFSUJPO.BOZUJNFT UIBUNFBOTUIFZXJMMCFPVUGPS UIFSFNBJOEFSPGUIBUEBZ*OGBDU BTDPODVTTJPONBOBHFNFOU DPOUJOVFTUPFWPMWFXJUIOFXTDJFODF UIFDBSFJTCFDPNJOHNPSF DPOTFSWBUJWFBOESFUVSOUPQMBZUJNFGSBNFTBSFHFUUJOHMPOHFS $PBDIFTTIPVMEIBWFBHBNFQMBOUIBUBDDPVOUTGPSUIJTDIBOHF
IT’S BETTER THEY MISS ONE GAME THAN THE WHOLE SEASON. WHEN IN DOUBT, SIT THEM OUT. 'PSNPSFJOGPSNBUJPOBOESFTPVSDFT WJTJUXXX/$""PSHIFBMUITBGFUZBOEXXX$%$HPW$PODVTTJPO
Reference to any commercial entity or product or service on this page should not be construed as an endorsement by the Government of the company or its products or services.
THE FACTS
t"DPODVTTJPOJTBCSBJOJOKVSZ t"MMDPODVTTJPOTBSFTFSJPVT t$PODVTTJPOTDBOPDDVSXJUIPVUMPTTPGDPOTDJPVTOFTTPSPUIFS PCWJPVTTJHOT t$PODVTTJPOTDBOPDDVSGSPNCMPXTUPUIFCPEZBTXFMMBTUPUIFIFBE t$PODVTTJPOTDBOPDDVSJOanyTQPSU t3FDPHOJUJPOBOEQSPQFSSFTQPOTFUPDPODVTTJPOTXIFOUIFZĕSTU PDDVSDBOIFMQQSFWFOUGVSUIFSJOKVSZPSFWFOEFBUI t"UIMFUFTNBZOPUSFQPSUUIFJSTZNQUPNTGPSGFBSPGMPTJOHQMBZJOHUJNF t"UIMFUFTDBOTUJMMHFUBDPODVTTJPOFWFOJGUIFZBSFXFBSJOHBIFMNFU t%BUBGSPNUIF/$""*OKVSZ4VSWFJMMBODF4ZTUFNTVHHFTUTUIBU DPODVTTJPOTSFQSFTFOUUPQFSDFOUPGBMMSFQPSUFEJOKVSJFT EFQFOEJOHPOUIFTQPSU
WHAT IS A CONCUSSION?
"DPODVTTJPOJTBCSBJOJOKVSZUIBUNBZCFDBVTFECZBCMPXUPUIF IFBE GBDF OFDLPSFMTFXIFSFPOUIFCPEZXJUIBOiJNQVMTJWFwGPSDF USBOTNJUUFEUPUIFIFBE$PODVTTJPOTDBOBMTPSFTVMUGSPNIJUUJOHB IBSETVSGBDFTVDIBTUIFHSPVOE JDFPSĘPPS GSPNQMBZFSTDPMMJEJOH XJUIFBDIPUIFSPSCFJOHIJUCZBQJFDFPGFRVJQNFOUTVDIBTBCBU MBDSPTTFTUJDLPSĕFMEIPDLFZCBMM
RECOGNIZING A POSSIBLE CONCUSSION
5PIFMQSFDPHOJ[FBDPODVTTJPO XBUDIGPSUIFGPMMPXJOHUXPFWFOUT BNPOHZPVSTUVEFOUBUIMFUFTEVSJOHCPUIHBNFTBOEQSBDUJDFT "GPSDFGVMCMPXUPUIFIFBEPSCPEZUIBUSFTVMUTJOSBQJE NPWFNFOUPGUIFIFBE -ANDAny changeJOUIFTUVEFOUBUIMFUFTCFIBWJPS UIJOLJOHPS QIZTJDBMGVODUJPOJOH TFFTJHOTBOETZNQUPNT
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Signs Observed By Coaching Staff t"QQFBSTEB[FEPSTUVOOFE t*TDPOGVTFEBCPVUBTTJHONFOUPSQPTJUJPO t'PSHFUTQMBZT t*TVOTVSFPGHBNF TDPSFPSPQQPOFOU t.PWFTDMVNTJMZ t"OTXFSTRVFTUJPOTTMPXMZ t-PTFTDPOTDJPVTOFTT FWFOCSJFnZ t4IPXTCFIBWJPSPSQFSTPOBMJUZDIBOHFT t$BOUSFDBMMFWFOUTCFGPSFIJUPSGBMM t$BOUSFDBMMFWFOUTBGUFSIJUPSGBMM
Symptoms Reported By Student-Athlete t)FBEBDIFPSiQSFTTVSFwJOIFBE t/BVTFBPSWPNJUJOH t#BMBODFQSPCMFNTPSEJ[[JOFTT t%PVCMFPSCMVSSZWJTJPO t4FOTJUJWJUZUPMJHIU t4FOTJUJWJUZUPOPJTF t'FFMJOHTMVHHJTI IB[Z GPHHZPSHSPHHZ t$PODFOUSBUJPOPSNFNPSZQSPCMFNT t$POGVTJPO t%PFTOPUiGFFMSJHIUw
PREVENTION AND PREPARATION
"TBDPBDI ZPVQMBZBLFZSPMFJOQSFWFOUJOHDPODVTTJPOTBOESFTQPOEJOHUPUIFNQSPQFSMZXIFOUIFZPDDVS)FSFBSFTPNFTUFQTZPVDBOUBLF UPFOTVSFUIFCFTUPVUDPNFGPSZPVSTUVEFOUBUIMFUFT t&EVDBUFTUVEFOUBUIMFUFTBOEDPBDIJOHTUBČBCPVUDPODVTTJPO&YQMBJOZPVSDPODFSOTBCPVUDPODVTTJPOBOEZPVSFYQFDUBUJPOTPGTBGFQMBZ UPTUVEFOUBUIMFUFT BUIMFUJDTTUBČBOEBTTJTUBOUDPBDIFT$SFBUFBOFOWJSPONFOUUIBUTVQQPSUTSFQPSUJOH BDDFTTUPQSPQFSFWBMVBUJPOBOE DPOTFSWBUJWFSFUVSOUPQMBZ o3FWJFXBOEQSBDUJDFZPVSFNFSHFODZBDUJPOQMBOGPSZPVSGBDJMJUZ o,OPXXIFOZPVXJMMIBWFTJEFMJOFNFEJDBMDBSFBOEXIFOZPVXJMMOPU CPUIBUIPNFBOEBXBZ o&NQIBTJ[FUIBUQSPUFDUJWFFRVJQNFOUTIPVMEĕUQSPQFSMZ CFXFMMNBJOUBJOFE BOECFXPSODPOTJTUFOUMZBOEDPSSFDUMZ o3FWJFXUIF$PODVTTJPO'BDU4IFFUGPS4UVEFOU"UIMFUFTXJUIZPVSUFBNUPIFMQUIFNSFDPHOJ[FUIFTJHOTPGBDPODVTTJPO o3FWJFXXJUIZPVSBUIMFUJDTTUBČUIF/$""4QPSUT.FEJDJOF)BOECPPLHVJEFMJOF$PODVTTJPOPS.JME5SBVNBUJD#SBJO*OKVSZ N5#* JOUIF"UIMFUF t*OTJTUUIBUTBGFUZDPNFTĕSTU o5FBDITUVEFOUBUIMFUFTTBGFQMBZUFDIOJRVFTBOEFODPVSBHFUIFNUPGPMMPXUIFSVMFTPGQMBZ o&ODPVSBHFTUVEFOUBUIMFUFTUPQSBDUJDFHPPETQPSUTNBOTIJQBUBMMUJNFT o&ODPVSBHFTUVEFOUBUIMFUFTUPJNNFEJBUFMZSFQPSUTZNQUPNTPGDPODVTTJPO t1SFWFOUMPOHUFSNQSPCMFNT"SFQFBUDPODVTTJPOUIBUPDDVSTCFGPSFUIFCSBJOSFDPWFSTGSPNUIFQSFWJPVTPOF IPVST EBZTPSXFFLT DBOTMPXSFDPWFSZPSJODSFBTFUIFMJLFMJIPPEPGIBWJOHMPOHUFSNQSPCMFNT*OSBSFDBTFT SFQFBUDPODVTTJPOTDBOSFTVMUJOCSBJOTXFMMJOH QFSNBOFOUCSBJOEBNBHFBOEFWFOEFBUI
IF YOU THINK YOUR STUDENT-ATHLETE HAS SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION:
IF A CONCUSSION IS SUSPECTED:
5BLFIJNIFSPVUPGQMBZJNNFEJBUFMZBOEBMMPXBEFRVBUFUJNFGPS FWBMVBUJPOCZBIFBMUIDBSFQSPGFTTJPOBMFYQFSJFODFEJOFWBMVBUJOH GPSDPODVTTJPO
Remove the student-athlete from play.-PPLGPSUIFTJHOTBOE TZNQUPNTPGDPODVTTJPOJGZPVSTUVEFOUBUIMFUFIBTFYQFSJFODFEB CMPXUPUIFIFBE%POPUBMMPXUIFTUVEFOUBUIMFUFUPKVTUiTIBLFJU PČw&BDIJOEJWJEVBMBUIMFUFXJMMSFTQPOEUPDPODVTTJPOTEJČFSFOUMZ
"OBUIMFUFXIPFYIJCJUTTJHOT TZNQUPNTPSCFIBWJPSTDPOTJTUFOUXJUI BDPODVTTJPO FJUIFSBUSFTUPSEVSJOHFYFSUJPO TIPVMECFremoved immediately from practice or competitionBOETIPVMEOPUSFUVSOUP QMBZVOUJMDMFBSFECZBOBQQSPQSJBUFIFBMUIDBSFQSPGFTTJPOBM4QPSUT IBWFJOKVSZUJNFPVUTBOEQMBZFSTVCTUJUVUJPOTTPUIBUTUVEFOUBUIMFUFT DBOHFUDIFDLFEPVU
Ensure that the student-athlete is evaluated right away by an appropriate health care professional.%POPUUSZUPKVEHF UIFTFWFSJUZPGUIFJOKVSZZPVSTFMG*NNFEJBUFMZSFGFSUIFTUVEFOU BUIMFUFUPUIFBQQSPQSJBUFBUIMFUJDTNFEJDBMTUBČ TVDIBTBDFSUJĕFE BUIMFUJDUSBJOFS UFBNQIZTJDJBOPSIFBMUIDBSFQSPGFTTJPOBM FYQFSJFODFEJODPODVTTJPOFWBMVBUJPOBOENBOBHFNFOU Allow the student-athlete to return to play only with permission from a health care professional with experience in evaluating for concussion."MMPXBUIMFUJDTNFEJDBMTUBČUPSFMZ POUIFJSDMJOJDBMTLJMMTBOEQSPUPDPMTJOFWBMVBUJOHUIFBUIMFUFUP FTUBCMJTIUIFBQQSPQSJBUFUJNFUPSFUVSOUPQMBZ"SFUVSOUPQMBZ QSPHSFTTJPOTIPVMEPDDVSJOBOJOEJWJEVBMJ[FE TUFQXJTFGBTIJPO XJUIHSBEVBMJODSFNFOUTJOQIZTJDBMFYFSUJPOBOESJTLPGDPOUBDU Develop a game plan.4UVEFOUBUIMFUFTTIPVMEOPUSFUVSO UPQMBZVOUJMBMMTZNQUPNTIBWFSFTPMWFE CPUIBUSFTUBOE EVSJOHFYFSUJPO.BOZUJNFT UIBUNFBOTUIFZXJMMCFPVUGPS UIFSFNBJOEFSPGUIBUEBZ*OGBDU BTDPODVTTJPONBOBHFNFOU DPOUJOVFTUPFWPMWFXJUIOFXTDJFODF UIFDBSFJTCFDPNJOHNPSF DPOTFSWBUJWFBOESFUVSOUPQMBZUJNFGSBNFTBSFHFUUJOHMPOHFS $PBDIFTTIPVMEIBWFBHBNFQMBOUIBUBDDPVOUTGPSUIJTDIBOHF
IT’S BETTER THEY MISS ONE GAME THAN THE WHOLE SEASON. WHEN IN DOUBT, SIT THEM OUT. 'PSNPSFJOGPSNBUJPOBOESFTPVSDFT WJTJUXXX/$""PSHIFBMUITBGFUZBOEXXX$%$HPW$PODVTTJPO
Reference to any commercial entity or product or service on this page should not be construed as an endorsement by the Government of the company or its products or services.
