Breakfast with Guidance: Post-Concussive Syndrome

Thanks to school nurse Kristin Gauthier and the Nipmuc Guidance Department for this morning's presentation on concussions and post-concussive syndrome. Mrs. Gauthier provided an informative and interesting presentation on the growing awareness of this serious medical concern and how it affects adolescents. Included below are some "takeaways" from today's presentation:

1. We can't overstate the importance of concussion awareness.
Last year at Nipmuc Regional we had 22 reported cases of diagnosed concussions. During the current school year, we already have 12 students with diagnosed concussions. The recovery from a concussion is often lengthy and can affect all aspects of a child's life, not simply academics.

2. Recovery requires a partnership.
As a school we rely on communication between students, parents, the school nurse, physicians, guidance counselors, and teachers to help a student to get back on track. It is extremely important for teachers and guidance counselors to understand the extent of the injury in order to make appropriate adjustments to deadlines, work loads, and classroom expectations. Students often rely on their ability to self-advocate when making their way back to the classroom or field of competition; however, strong communication between all can help to make the academic, social, and physical adjustments easier to manage.

3. Concussions are particularly dangerous because they are "an invisible injury."
Students suffering from a concussion often look and act normally despite suffering from the symptoms of the injury. Because the injured student is not using crutches, band-aids, or a cast, others may not immediately recognize that he/she is not feeling well or capable of completing typical tasks. This can create a situation where a student feels a great deal of pressure to complete his work, return to his team, or go back to his part-time job. By collaborating with our nurse, families can often help to validate a student's injury and set reasonable goals for returning to normal activity.

4. ImPACT Testing is a must!
ImPACT testing is one way to help diagnose and treat concussions. The test is taken prior to any injury and provides some baseline data about typical brain function. With this information, our school nurse can work with coaches to help athletes determine the safest time to return to action. Nipmuc encourages all of its athletes to take this test. Mrs. Gauthier works with local neuropsychologist, Dr. Michael Sefton, to analyze test results and determine if the concussion has healed. This test is free to all Nipmuc athletes and available at a cost of $20 to non-athletes. (Thank you to the Warriors Club for funding this important test.) If you would like to help your child receive this test, please contact Mrs. Gauthier at kgauthier@mursd.org.

A great deal of information beyond these these key points was included in the presentation this morning. Feel free to review the presentation below:



Thank you, also, to Missy Mulgrew who shared a parent's perspective on dealing with concussions and senior Matthew Campagna who spoke of his first-hand experience recovering from a concussion.

Breakfast with Guidance continues to be a great way to work directly with our counselors and staff members in order to gain information about some of the topics that most affect our students and parents. Our next Breakfast with Guidance event will take place on January 24th when counselors present "Beginning the College Search: A Guide to Post-Secondary Planning for Parents of Juniors." The presentation will take place at 8am in the Nipmuc Professional Development Center. Please email Mrs. Ona Moore at omoore@mursd.org to reserve your seat for this presentation.