Initial Identification of a Suspected Concussion

Check for Red Flag sign(s) and/or symptom(s).

If any Red Flag sign(s) and or symptom(s) are present, follow the Red Flag Procedure.

If there are no Red Flag sign(s) and or Red Flag symptom(s), and the student can be safely moved, remove the student from the activity or game. Observe and question the student to determine if other concussion sign(s) and/ or other concussion symptom(s) are present.

If any one or more sign(s) and/or symptom(s) are present, a concussion should be suspected and a full check should be completed (including the Quick Memory Function Check) to provide comprehensive information to parents/guardians and medical doctors/nurse practitioners.

If any sign(s) and/or symptom(s) worsen, or red flags emerge, call 911 and follow Red Flag Procedure.

Consult the Sample Tool to Identify a Suspected Concussion for an example of checklist that school staff may use to identify a suspected concussion, respond to and communicate the results to parents/guardians.

Please Note:

• Signs and/or symptoms can appear immediately after the injury or may take hours or days to emerge.
• Signs and symptoms may be different for everyone.
• A student may be reluctant to report symptoms because of a fear that they will be removed from the activity, their status on a team or in a game could be jeopardized or academics could be impacted.
• It may be difficult for younger students (under the age of 10), students with special needs, or students for whom English/French is not their first language to communicate how they are feeling.
• Signs for younger students (under the age of 10) may not be as obvious as in older students.