Concussion guidance for teachers and parents

N-ABLES produces ‘Return-to-School’ concussion guide

Easy-to-use, concise guidance for the return-to-school (RTS) following concussion has been produced by UKABIF National Acquired Brain Injury Learning and Education Syndicate (N-ABLES). This two-page document entitled ‘Concussion Return-to-School Guidance’ reiterates the staged return-to-education advocated in the Government’s new grassroots sports guidance but is aimed directly at teachers and parents supporting the young person’s RTS following concussion from any cause.

Dr Emily Bennett, N-ABLES Chair and Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust said: “Concussion is not just limited to sports injuries, this mild brain injury can happen in the playground, park or in the home. A return-to-learning has to take priority over a return-to-sport. N-ABLES recommends this easy-to-use guide for use in all schools to help raise awareness of the effects of concussion and also to improve the understanding of its impact on learning.”

Dr Gemma Costello, N-ABLES Steering Committee member and Educational Psychologist in Paediatric Neuropsychology said: “It’s important that parents understand how to monitor their child during the concussion recovery stage, and for teachers to be aware of the symptoms and the individual’s possible needs in the classroom”.

Page 1 of the guidance provides an overview of concussion, the symptoms, red flags, advice on when a student can RTS and resume normal activities, examples of support and further information. Page 2 is a step-by-step RTS guidance. N-ABLES wants to disseminate this resource as widely as possible across the UK, to all target audiences involved in the education and support of children and young adults with ABI, their parents/carers.