Charles Fox:
Chances are that the most children with concussions had never previously been identified as students with disabilities who required either special education or accommodations. I believe that all children who have had a concussion should go through a screening and be considered as a possible candidate for a case study at an appropriate time post injury. Hopefully these children will be able to recover fully and return to school and other activities without special eduction or a 504. But for those students for whom this is not the case, their parents are very likely unfamiliar with the world of special education IEPs or 504 Plans. Thus, the educators, along with parents and the doctors, will need to watch the progress of these students carefully and if warranted, begin more formal evaluations to ensure the delivery of appropriate services. The previously mentioned CDC Fact Sheet on "Returning to School after a Concussion" may prove invaluable to school staff. School staff have a vital and proactive role in this process.
Mr. Fox presents some clear information about the role of schools in helping students recover after a concussion. One area where we are weak in schools is that we don't know when these concussions happen. We need to establish better lines of communication to parents, doctors, coaches and others to ensure that we know when kids need our help.
