scholarly journals Concussion symptoms and temporary accommodations using a student-centered return to learn care plan

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Erik B. Philipson ◽  
Emma Gause ◽  
Kelsey M. Conrick ◽  
Scott Erickson ◽  
Amy Muma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Severity Score ◽  
Care Plan ◽  
Return To School ◽  
Public High Schools ◽  
Academic Accommodations ◽  
Emotional Symptoms ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Formal Support ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Return To Learn

BACKGROUND: Many students return to school after concussion with symptoms but without formal support. OBJECTIVE: To examine concussion symptoms and temporary academic accommodations during school use of a four-week student-centered return to learn (RTL) care plan. METHODS: Five public high schools used the RTL care plan and contributed student-level data after student report of concussion. Data on concussion symptoms, temporary academic accommodations corresponding to reported symptoms, and accommodations provided during RTL care plan use were examined. RESULTS: Of 115 students, 55%used the RTL care plan for three (34%) or four (21%) weeks. Compared to students whose symptoms resolve within the first two weeks, students who used the RTL care plan for three or four weeks reported more unique symptoms (P = 0.038), higher total severity score (P = 0.005), and higher average severity per symptom (P = 0.007) at week one. Overall, 1,127 weekly accommodations were provided. While least reported, emotional symptoms received corresponding accommodations most often (127/155 reports: 82%of occurrences). CONCLUSIONS: Use of an RTL care plan can facilitate the RTL of students with a concussion and may aid in the identification of students who are in need of longer-term support.

Community‐Engaged Approach to the Development and Implementation of a Student‐Centered Return to Learn Care Plan After Concussion

2020 ◽  
Vol 90 (11) ◽  
pp. 842-848
Author(s):  
Kelsey McGuire Conrick ◽  
Megan Moore ◽  
Laurel Abbotts ◽  
Laura Widdice ◽  
Samara Hoag ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Care Plan ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Return To Learn

scholarly journals A-13 Return-to-Learn: Academic Accommodations for Concussion Recovery

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 609-609
Author(s):  
B Davis ◽  
K Creed ◽  
C Keshvnani ◽  
D Blueitt ◽  
C Garrison
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Sports Medicine ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Care Physician ◽  
Cognitive Symptoms ◽  
Academic Accommodations ◽  
School Work ◽  
Medicine Physician ◽  
Return To Learn ◽  
Concussion Recovery

Abstract Objective To evaluate academic accommodations offered to student athletes following a concussive injury. Method Participants were identified during regularly scheduled visits to the participating fellowship-trained, board-certified primary care sports medicine physician (D.B.). A total of 127 participants (mean ± SD age, 14.8 ± 1.5 years [range, 12–18 years]) diagnosed with a concussion from December 2018 to October 2019 were surveyed. The participants were provided a questionnaire in which the following information was collected: age at injury, date of injury, locations of treatment, cognitive symptoms experienced, academic accommodations received, implementation of accommodation by educators, and school related problems. Results Cognitive symptoms were reported by 117 (92.1%) participants with trouble concentrating (81.2%), and feeling “slow” (78.7%) being the most common. Participants treated at the participating, sports-medicine concussion center had the highest rate of receiving academic accommodations (95.3%), while those also treated at an emergency or acute care center, primary care physician, or pediatrician’s office had significantly lower rates (<5%). Participants reported their accommodations as helpful (94.5%), with extra time (88.2%), and ability to take breaks (80.3%) having the highest frequency of recommendation. While symptomatic, 110 (86.6%) participants reported having difficulty completing school work and tests, 58 (45.7%) reported experiencing anxiety about completing their school work, and 55 (43.3%) reported a decline in their grades. Conclusions These data display the high frequency of cognitive symptoms and hindered academic performance associated with concussion recovery. The implementation of academic accommodations was demonstrated to be beneficial; however, not all medical centers are providing accommodations.

Academic Safety Planning: Intervening to Improve the Educational Outcomes of Collegiate Survivors of Interpersonal Violence

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052096716
Author(s):  
Rachel J. Voth Schrag ◽  
Leila G. Wood ◽  
Dixie Hairston ◽  
Cynthia Jones
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Interpersonal Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Economic Security ◽  
Educational Goals ◽  
Safety Planning ◽  
Academic Accommodations ◽  
Student Centered

Demonstrated impacts of intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault (SA) for college students include negative outcomes related to mental, physical, emotional, and academic well-being. As a result of increasing awareness of the long-standing epidemic of IPV and SA on college campuses, Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) are expanding the services provided to survivors of IPV and SA, including campus-based advocacy services that are adapted from community models. Like community advocacy, campus-based advocacy services focus on empowerment, support, resource provision, and addressing safety needs. However, the unique context of higher education produces specific student-centered needs, including an increased focus on educational goals, academic accommodations, and safety planning. The current study seeks to shed new light on the specific foci and tasks of advocacy in the context of IHEs, related to what we call “academic safety planning,” and to highlight the experience of student service recipients utilizing these forms of advocacy. Thematic analysis of 48 qualitative interviews with advocates ( n = 23) and service users ( n = 25) from five programs at three universities was used to discover practices applied by campus-based advocates and to understand student-survivor needs and preferences within academic safety planning. Findings reveal the core components of academic safety planning, which are: (a) Advocating for emotional and physical safety in the university context, (b) Assessing and identifying needed academic accommodations, and (c) rebuilding connections and institutional trust at school. These interviews reveal that academic safety planning has the potential to enhance the academic outcomes of survivors, which in turn could lead to important improvements in long-term personal safety, well-being, and economic security for student-survivors.

scholarly journals P076: Assessment of a newly integrated and standardized approach for pediatric concussions aimed to improve the concussion recovery process

CJEM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (S1) ◽  
pp. S91-S92
Author(s):  
J. St.Onge ◽  
E. Karreman ◽  
M. McCarron ◽  
L. Harasen ◽  
C. Ames
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Recovery Process ◽  
Return To School ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Discharge Data ◽  
Written Information ◽  
Return To Learn ◽  
Concussion Recovery ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: Children with concussions presenting to emergency departments often receive very different recommendations for how to recover. In addition, there are no instructions for teachers to how children should return to learn and play after a concussion. Therefore, some children take too long to return to learn and play at school while others return too soon, thereby risking long-term problems because their brain injury is not fully healed. The purpose of this project is to determine the impact of a new integrated, standardized approach aimed to help a concussed child recover faster and whether the recovery experience for all involved has improved. Methods: Structured interviews were conducted with 11 parents of children treated for concussion at the Emergency Department of Pasqua Hospital in Regina, SK, four of whom received care after a change in practice whereby parents were provided with a return-to-school protocol form prior to discharge. Data were analyzed using an inductive qualitative content analysis approach using NVivo 12 software. Results: Three main categories were noted in the data: Parental response to the child's concussion, satisfaction with health services, and the communication amongst parents, physicians, and teachers. It was with regard to the last theme in particular that the impact of the return to school protocol was noted, helping to at least indirectly address the issue of the parent as the “middleman” in the communication triad. Most parents whose children received care prior to the introduction of the protocol suggested that providing written information at discharge to guide parents through the concussion recovery process would be helpful. Conclusion: Our initial results show a positive impact in regards to the process of children returning to learn and play after a concussion. Specifically, the increased communication between physician, teacher, and parent seems to benefit and improve the child's recovery process.

An Evaluation of Post-Concussion Return to School Guidelines: A Survey of Massachusetts School Nurses

2021 ◽  
pp. 105984052110322
Author(s):  
Jonathan Howland ◽  
Julia Campbell ◽  
Rebekah Thomas ◽  
Steven Smyth ◽  
Aynsley Chaneco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
School Personnel ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
Return To Play ◽  
Return To School ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Sports Concussion ◽  
Return To Learn ◽  
Prevention Center

Although all states have legislation pertaining to youth sports concussion, most of these laws focus on return-to-play procedures; only a few address return-to-learn (RTL) accommodations for students who have experienced a concussion. To address this gap in the legislation, some states and nongovernmental organizations have developed RTL guidelines to advise school personnel, parents, and health care providers on best practices for accommodating students' postconcussion reintegration into academic activity. In 2018, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) developed RTL guidelines which were disseminated to school nurses (SNs) at all public and nonpublic middle and high schools in the state. In 2020, the MDPH engaged the Injury Prevention Center at Boston Medical Center to survey Massachusetts SNs to assess the usefulness of the guidelines. The response rate was 63%; 92% found the booklet extremely useful or moderately useful; and 70% endorsed that the booklet fostered collaboration among stakeholders.

Return to Learn Following Concussion

Concussion ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 53-68
Author(s):  
Brian Hainline ◽  
Lindsey J. Gurin ◽  
Daniel M. Torres
Keyword(s):  
Recovery Process ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Return To School ◽  
Disabilities Education Act ◽  
Return To Learn ◽  
Education Act ◽  
Individualized Management ◽  
Returning To School ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Conditions ◽  
Rule Out

Students who sustain a concussion may develop several symptoms that interfere with returning to school. Clinicians, students, parents, and teachers should all be part of a transparent return-to-learn plan that helps individuals navigate their recovery process. Most individuals can return to school with an informal, individualized management plan in place, but more formal plans should be developed for students with prolonged difficulties. Plans for such students are protected through the American with Disabilities Education Act. Those who have difficulty returning to school following concussion should also be re-evaluated medically to rule out comorbid or emerging neuropsychiatric conditions.

scholarly journals When the Bell Tolls: The Effects of School Starting Times on Academic Achievement

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 486-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Hinrichs
Keyword(s):  
High Schools ◽  
Standardized Tests ◽  
The United States ◽  
School Level ◽  
Twin Cities ◽  
Public High Schools ◽  
Biological Clocks ◽  
Act Scores ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data

A number of high schools across the United States have moved to later bell times on the belief that their previous bell times were too early for the “biological clocks” of adolescents. In this article I study whether doing so improves academic performance. I first focus on the Twin Cities metropolitan area, where Minneapolis and several suburban districts have made large policy changes but St. Paul and other suburban districts have maintained early schedules. I use individual-level ACT data on all individuals from public high schools in this region who took the ACT between 1993 and 2002 to estimate the effects of school starting times on ACT scores. I then employ school-level data on schedules and test scores on statewide standardized tests from Kansas and Virginia to estimate the effects of bell times on achievement for a broader sample. The results do not suggest an effect of school starting times on achievement.

scholarly journals It is time to rewrite state youth sports concussion laws

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. e000959
Author(s):  
Jonathan Howland ◽  
Holly Hackman ◽  
Alcy Torres ◽  
Julia Campbell ◽  
Jonathan Olshaker
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Youth Sports ◽  
Return To Play ◽  
Academic Learning ◽  
Academic Accommodations ◽  
Traffic Crashes ◽  
Sports Concussion ◽  
Medical Clearance ◽  
Return To Learn ◽  
And Performance

Between 2009 and 2014, all 50 states and the District of Columbia passed legislation to improve the recognition and management of youth concussed in sports. These laws can include requirements for concussion training for school athletic personnel, concussion education for children and their parents, return-to-play (RTP) procedures, and medical clearance to for RTP. Concussion can impact academic learning and performance in children and adolescents. Postconcussion academic accommodations during recovery can be an important component of secondary prevention for mitigating the sequalae of head injury. Few state youth concussion laws, however, include provision of postconcussion return-to-learn (RTL) accommodations and most of those that do address RTL apply to student athletes only. Concussions may occur in youth who are not participating in organised sports (eg, falls, traffic crashes) and thus may not be subjected to RTL accommodations, even if the state mandates such procedures for athletes. Low income and students of colour may be more likely to have non-sports concussions than their more affluent and white peers, thus potentially creating demographic disparities in the benefits of RTL procedures. State youth sports concussion laws should be revised so that they include RTL provisions that apply to all students, athletes and non-athletes alike.

Same Care, Different Populations

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura S. Blackwell ◽  
Anna F. Robinson ◽  
Mark R. Proctor ◽  
Alex M. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
School Personnel ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
Academic Accommodations ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
School Students ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Return To Learn

The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of Massachusetts school nurses examining return-to-learn practices for children recovering from concussion in prekindergarten through high school. Regardless of school setting, all students received academic accommodations to support learning during recovery. School nurses perceived less benefit to prolonged cognitive rest (>4 days) for high school students relative to students in elementary school, but provided academic accommodations to them for comparatively longer periods of time (10-14 days vs 6-10 days). In all settings, respondents indicated a need for improved communication among treating physicians, parents, and school personnel, as well as improved education and standardized management tools for younger children and those who sustain non-sport-related injuries. Despite serving children at different developmental stages, school return-to-learn practices are essentially the same in primary and secondary schools, highlighting the need for standardized, developmentally appropriate return-to-learn plans and additional education for the providers and school personnel who implement them.

scholarly journals What factors must be considered in ‘return to school’ following concussion and what strategies or accommodations should be followed? A systematic review

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 250-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura K Purcell ◽  
Gavin A Davis ◽  
Gerard A Gioia
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Return To School ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Academic Accommodations ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Medical Letter ◽  
Registration Number

ObjectiveTo evaluate the evidence regarding (1) factors affecting return to school (RTS) and (2) strategies/accommodations for RTS following a sport-related concussion (SRC) in children and adolescents.DesignA systematic review of original studies specifically addressing RTS following concussion in the paediatric and sporting context.Data sourcesMEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), PsycInfo (Ovid) electronic databases and the grey literature OpenGrey, ClinicalTrials.gov and Google Advanced.Eligibility criteriaStudies were included if they were original research on RTS following SRC in children aged 5–18 years published in English between 1985 and 2017.ResultsA total of 180 articles were identified; 17 articles met inclusion criteria. Several factors should be considered for RTS after concussion, including: symptomatology; rest following injury; age/grade; and course load. On RTS after concussion, 17%–73% of students were provided academic accommodations or experienced difficulty with RTS. Students were more likely to obtain academic accommodations in schools with a concussion policy if they had a medical RTS letter and had regular medical follow-up after concussion.ConclusionsSchools should have a concussion policy and offer individualised academic accommodations to students recovering from SRC on RTS; a medical letter should be provided to facilitate provision/receipt of academic accommodations; students should have early, regular medical follow-up following SRC to help with RTS and monitor recovery; students may require temporary absence from school after SRC; clinicians should assess risk factors/modifiers that may prolong recovery and require more intensive academic accommodations.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42016039184.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document