Lake Pointe Medical Center provided the Royse City ISD Athletic Program with a sponsorship toward their purchase of the ImPACT Concussion Testing Tool, a tool they will be using to provide baseline concussion testing for their football and soccer athletes during the 2011-12 school year.
To learn more about how Lake Pointe Health Network can assist your district in providing this important tool to your athletes, contact Bobby Montgomery, Director of Marketing, at 972-526-7503.
Below is a copy of the educational letter provided by Lake Pointe Health Network to the parents of the athletes participating in the ImPACT Testing.
Story and photo submitted by Bobby Montgomery, Director, Marketing and Sleep Medicine.
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LETTER TO PARENTS
Dear Parent/Guardian –
The Royse City ISD Athletic Department will be performing ImPACT testing on all football and soccer athletes. The ImPACT (Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) was created as a screening tool to assist sports medicine professionals in evaluating athletes after a suspected concussion. Although a broad range of specialists may also see the athlete following their concussion, those most frequently used to evaluate and treat sports medicine injuries are orthopaedic surgeons, pediatricians, and family medicine practitioners. In addition, Certified Athletic Trainers (ATC’s) often play a crucial role in evaluation and treatment of the concussed athlete and are often involved in the baseline screening of the athlete.
ImPACT was not designed to take the place of regular medical care and should not be used without proper oversight. ImPACT should never be used as a “stand alone” instrument to make return to play decisions and the test results should always be placed within the context of the overall medical care of the athlete.
It is also important to emphasize that ImPACT is not a substitute for neuropsychological testing, which can only be completed by an appropriately trained and licensed neuropsychologist. Neuropsychologists can play an important role in the evaluation of athletes who have experienced a concussion but are not usually involved in the acute management of the athlete. Neuropsychological testing can be particularly useful in treating athletes who have prolonged or complicated recoveries, or who have academic issues following injury.
Our utilization of the ImPACT Testing tool and association with Lake Pointe Medical Center will allow us to provide a proactive approach to concussion management of your student athlete.
To learn more about ImPACT Testing, visit impacttest.com.
ImPACT testing is being provided to Royse City ISD through a donation from Lake Pointe Medical Center (LPMC). Learn more about LPMC at lakepointemedical.com.
Brad Abell, MEd, ATC, LAT Alan Gill, MS, ATC, LAT
Co-Athletic Trainer Co-Athletic Trainer
Royse City ISD Royse City ISD
CONCUSSION WARNING SIGNS –
COACH/PARENT observes these signs:
- Confusion; forgetfulness (forgets plays)
- Moves clumsily; answers questions slowly
- Shows behavior/personality change (irritability/depression)
- Forgets events prior to and/or after hit
- Loss of consciousness, even temporarily
ATHLETE reports these symptoms:
- Headache; sensitivity to light/noise
- Feels sluggish, foggy and/or dizzy
- Double or fuzzy vision; nausea
- Concentration or memory problems
- Change in sleep patterns
MENTAL STATUS TEST –
Ask the athlete questions he/she should be able to answer:
Examples:
What quarter/half is this?
What city are we in?
Ask the athlete to recall three words in succession: (immediate and in 10 minutes)
Examples:
DOG
BOY
ORANGE
Ask the athlete to describe the hit and events before it:
Do you remember the hit?
What happened prior to impact?
Ask athlete to concentrate by repeating the days of the week backwards, starting with today.
Repeat these numbers backwards:
63
217
9487
The athlete might not display or report signs of a concussion until hours or even days after the hit. Keep careful observation on your athlete up to one week after the point of impact.
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