In addition to the Concussion Assessment Instruments discussed below, please see my post: Links To “HEADS UP – Resources for head injury from The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention”, Posted on April 20, 2019 by Tom Wade MD ,
Here is the direct link to the PDF, The SCAT5 SPORT CONCUSSION ASSESSMENT TOOL — 5TH EDITION. Echemendia RJ, et al. Br J Sports Med 2017;51:851–858. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097506SCAT5. I have included excerpts from this PDF below.
Here is the direct link to the PDF, The Child Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5th Edition (Child SCAT5). I have included excerpts from this PDF below.
See also The Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5th Edition (SCAT5): Background and rationale [PubMed Abstract] [Full Text HTML] [Full Text PDF]. Br J Sports Med. 2017 Jun;51(11):848-850. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-097506. Epub 2017 Apr 2
See also The Child Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5th Edition (Child SCAT5): Background and rationale [PubMed Abstract] [Full Text HTML] [Full Text PDF]. Br J Sports Med. 2017 Jun;51(11):859-861. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-097492. Epub 2017 Apr 26.
Here are excerpts from the PDF, The SCAT5 SPORT CONCUSSION ASSESSMENT TOOL — 5TH EDITION:
WHAT IS THE SCAT5?
The SCAT5 is a standardized tool for evaluating concussions designed for use by physicians and licensed healthcare professionals1. The SCAT5 cannot be performed correctly in less than 10 minutes.
If you are not a physician or licensed healthcare professional,
please use the Concussion Recognition Tool 5 (CRT5). The
SCAT5 is to be used for evaluating athletes aged 13 years
and older. For children aged 12 years or younger, please
use the Child SCAT5.Preseason SCAT5 baseline testing can be useful for
interpreting post-injury test scores, but is not required for
that purpose.Detailed instructions for use of the SCAT5 are
provided on page 7. Please read through these instructions
carefully before testing the athlete. Brief verbal instructions
for each test are given in italics. The only equipment required
for the tester is a watch or timer. [All smart phones have a timer/stopwatch function]This tool may be freely copied in its current form for distribution to individuals, teams, groups and organizations. It should not be altered in any way, re-branded or sold for commercial gain. Any revision, translation or reproduction in a digital form requires specific approval by the Concussion in Sport Group.
Recognise and Remove
A head impact by either a direct blow or indirect transmission
of force can be associated with a serious and potentially fatal
brain injury. If there are significant concerns, including any
of the red flags listed in Box 1, then activation of emergency
procedures and urgent transport to the nearest hospital
should be arranged.Key points
• Any athlete with suspected concussion should be REMOVED FROM PLAY, medically assessed and monitored for deterioration. No athlete diagnosed with concussion
should be returned to play on the day of injury.
• If an athlete is suspected of having a concussion and
medical personnel are not immediately available, the
athlete should be referred to a medical facility for urgent
assessment.
• Athletes with suspected concussion should not drink
alcohol, use recreational drugs and should not drive a motor vehicle until cleared to do so by a medical professional.
• Concussion signs and symptoms evolve over time and it
is important to consider repeat evaluation in the assessment of concussion.
• The diagnosis of a concussion is a clinical judgment,
made by a medical professional. The SCAT5 should NOT
be used by itself to make, or exclude, the diagnosis of
concussion. An athlete may have a concussion even if
their SCAT5 is “normal”.Remember:
• The basic principles of first aid (danger, response, airway,
breathing, circulation) should be followed.
• Do not attempt to move the athlete (other than that required for airway management) unless trained to do so.
• Assessment for a spinal cord injury is a critical part of the
initial on-field assessment.
• Do not remove a helmet or any other equipment unless
trained to do so safely.In a patient who is not lucid or fully conscious, a cervical spine injury should be assumed until proven otherwise.
IMMEDIATE OR ON-FIELD ASSESSMENT
The following elements should be assessed for all athletes who
are suspected of having a concussion prior to proceeding to the
neurocognitive assessment and ideally should be done on-field after the first first aid / emergency care priorities are completed.If any of the “Red Flags“ or observable signs are noted after a direct or indirect blow to the head, the athlete should be immediately and safely removed from participation and evaluated by a physician or licensed healthcare professional.
Consideration of transportation to a medical facility should be at the discretion of the physician or licensed healthcare professional.
The GCS is important as a standard measure for all patients and can be done serially if necessary in the event of deterioration in conscious state. The Maddocks questions and cervical spine exam are critical steps of the immediate assessment; however, these do not need to be done serially.
To assess the patient, please go to The SCAT5 SPORT CONCUSSION ASSESSMENT TOOL — 5TH EDITION. The above is just for my study notes and general review.
Here are excerpts from PDF, The Child Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5th Edition (Child SCAT5):
WHAT IS THE CHILD SCAT5?
The Child SCAT5 is a standardized tool for evaluating
concussions designed for use by physicians and licensed healthcare professionals 1.
.
If you are not a physician or licensed healthcare professional,
please use the Concussion Recognition Tool 5 (CRT5). The
Child SCAT5 is to be used for evaluating Children aged 5 to
12 years. For athletes aged 13 years and older, please use
the SCAT5.Preseason Child SCAT5 baseline testing can be useful for
interpreting post-injury test scores, but not required for that
purpose. Detailed instructions for use of the Child SCAT5 are
provided on page 7. Please read through these instructions
carefully before testing the athlete. Brief verbal instructions
for each test are given in italics. The only equipment required
for the tester is a watch or timer.This tool may be freely copied in its current form for distribution to individuals, teams, groups and organizations. It should not be altered in any way, re-branded or sold for commercial gain. Any revision, translation or reproduction in a digital form requires specific approval by the Concussion in Sport Group.
Recognise and Remove
A head impact by either a direct blow or indirect transmission
of force can be associated with a serious and potentially fatal
brain injury. If there are significant concerns, including any
of the red flags listed in Box 1, then activation of emergency
procedures and urgent transport to the nearest hospital
should be arranged.Key points
• Any athlete with suspected concussion should be REMOVED FROM PLAY, medically assessed and monitored for deterioration. No athlete diagnosed with concussion
should be returned to play on the day of injury.
• If the child is suspected of having a concussion and medical
personnel are not immediately available, the child should
be referred to a medical facility for urgent assessment.
• Concussion signs and symptoms evolve over time and it
is important to consider repeat evaluation in the assessment of concussion.
• The diagnosis of a concussion is a clinical judgment,
made by a medical professional. The Child SCAT5 should
NOT be used by itself to make, or exclude, the diagnosis
of concussion. An athlete may have a a concussion even
if their Child SCAT5 is “normal”.Remember:
• The basic principles of first aid (danger, response, airway,
breathing, circulation) should be followed.
• Do not attempt to move the athlete (other than that required for airway management) unless trained to do so.
• Assessment for a spinal cord injury is a critical part of the
initial on-field assessment.
• Do not remove a helmet or any other equipment unless
trained to do so safely.IMMEDIATE OR ON-FIELD ASSESSMENT
The following elements should be assessed for all athletes who
are suspected of having a concussion prior to proceeding to the
neurocognitive assessment and ideally should be done on-field after the first first aid / emergency care priorities are completed.If any of the “Red Flags“ or observable signs are noted after a direct or indirect blow to the head, the athlete should be immediately and safely removed from participation and evaluated by a physician or licensed healthcare professional.
Consideration of transportation to a medical facility should be at the discretion of the physician or licensed healthcare professional.
The GCS is important as a standard measure for all patients and can be done serially if necessary in the event of deterioration in conscious state. The cervical spine exam is a critical step of the immediate assessment, however, it does not need to be done serially.
