A test that gauges concussion recovery is preventing further injury, and could even be saving the lives of District 211 high school students, officials say.
ImPACT computer software is in its first year at the high schools, and is used to test athletes after they experience symptoms of a head injury. The test, which is administered on a computer, asks simple questions to students and records response times and other factors. It also records symptoms of brain injury.
Athletes are first given a baseline test, which is then used to compare to any tests after a head injury.
“It’s a great system to be able to manage the decision of when that athlete goes back to play,” said Assistant Superintendent Terri Busch.
If a student with a concussion suffers a second head injury there could be more severe injuries — or even death, according to school officials. The software is designed to measure brain function, which shows trainers and coaches if students are safe to return to physical activity.
Originally, the test was given only to athletes in high-impact sports like football and basketball at the district’s five schools — Conant, Fremd, Hoffman Estates, Palatine and Schaumburg high schools, Busch said. But now, all athletes will be given a baseline test, should it be needed in case of a concussion, she said.
So far, about 1,900 students have had a baseline test and 92 of those students came in for another test after they showed symptoms of a concussion, said Otis Price, district athletics director.
About 50 other Illinois high schools use the software, as well as the National Football League and other professional sports organizations, officials said.
John Shoro, trainer and science teacher at Conant High School in Hoffman Estates, said the test is an important addition because it is objective.
Before the software, trainers would rely on athletes to say if they are continuing to have symptoms after a head injury, Shoro said. Then a trainer would watch an athlete in a cardio activity, and if they weren’t showing or reporting symptoms, they would be allowed to return to their sport.
But with the software, athletes cannot mask or hide their symptoms, Shoro said.
“Let’s face it, kids do anything to get back into the game,” he said. “Sometimes an athlete won’t be completely honest with you.”
In one situation, a student was injured in his last football game of the season. When he wanted to try out for basketball, he was tested with the ImPACT software, Shoro said.
After two failed tests, the student’s parents were advised to consult with a doctor. Eventually, medical tests showed the student had a brain bleed, Shoro said. The student made a full recovery, but could not try out for basketball for safety reasons.
“Under the old protocol, he would have gone back to playing,” he said. “I really like this software because it gives us objective data we didn’t have before.”
“And it also gives us piece of mind.”
kthayer@tribune.com
