Please note: the Safety Standards are currently being updated

Please note: the Safety Standards are currently being updated for late August 2025. As a result, some of the content on OPASSE may not be up to date. Contact Ask Ophea at safety@ophea.net if you would like copies of specific activity pages from the 2024-2025 year.

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Sample Tool to Identify a Suspected Concussion

This sample tool is to be completed by school staff and shared with parents/guardians after a concussion-related incident has been observed and/or reported.

Step 1: Check for red flags. (Check all that apply.)

If red flags are identified call 911 immediately.

Increased confusion or deteriorating conscious state (becoming less responsive, drowsy)
Increasingly restless, agitated, or combative
Loss of consciousness or responsiveness
Loss of vision or double vision
Neck pain or tenderness
Repeated vomiting
Seizure or convulsion
Severe or increasing headache
Weakness or numbness/tingling/burning in arms or legs
Visible deformity of the skull

Step 2: Check for visible clues (signs) and symptoms, and conduct a quick memory assessment.

2a. Visible clues (signs) (Check all that apply.)

Dazed, blank, or vacant look
Disorientation or confusion, staring or limited responsiveness, or an inability to respond appropriately to questions
Facial injury
Falling unprotected to the playing surface
Lying motionless on the playing surface (no loss of consciousness)
Slow to get up after a direct or indirect hit to the head
Unsteady on feet/balance problems or falling over/ poor coordination/ wobbly

2b. Concussion symptoms (Check all that apply.)

Physical Symptoms

Balance problems
Blurred vision
Dizziness
“Don’t feel right”
Drowsiness
Fatigue or low energy
Headache
Nausea or vomiting
“Pressure in head”
Sensitivity to light
Sensitivity to noise

Changes in Emotion

More emotional
More irritable
Sadness
Nervous or anxious

Changes in Thinking

Difficulty concentrating and/or remembering
Feeling slowed down
Feeling like “in a fog”

2c. Orientation/awareness questions
Questions may need to be modified to meet the needs of the situation/activity/sport, the age and ability of the student, and/or the first/most understood language of the student. Record student responses.

Is it before or after lunch?
Where are we today?
What activity/sport/game are we playing now?
What field are we playing on today?
What is the name of your Teacher/Coach?
What room are we in right now?
What school do you go to?

Step 3. Teacher/supervisor/coach observes a suspected concussion-related incident.

Even though no red flags (Step 1), visible clues, or symptoms observed or reported, and the student correctly answered all orientation/awareness questions (Step 2), a concussion is suspected.