The Toronto District School Board's new concussion policy that focuses on educating teachers about brain injuries is expected to be debated next month.
Last year, the Ontario government became the first province to mandate a concussion policy in schools. The plan – which was created following a number of high-profile concussion stories like that of Canadian hockey player Sidney Crosby – calls for every school board to create its own guidelines.
In Toronto, thousands of students suffer concussions each year. Grade 12 student Max Samuels is one of them.
In May 2013, the Northern Secondary School student was hit on the back of his head during a rugby game and suffered a major concussion. He says he remembers trying to get back up after the hit, but ultimately stumbled and was out cold for at least 10 seconds.
Samuels ended up missing his final exams that academic year.
"I was in my room for a month-and-a-half and it was just darkness because the light would give me the worst headache," he told CTV Toronto.
Samuels has since returned to school. And while he's healthy and is now playing football, stories like his worry many parents. Recent studies have shown that teenagers who've suffered a traumatic brain injury can suffer long-term consequences.
In a study published last November in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, researchers found that teenagers who've had a concussion or serious brain injury are more likely to report abusing alcohol and drugs compared to those with no history of such an injury.
The TDSB's new concussion-management guide hopes to address some of these issues. Teachers and administrators will not only learn about how to prevent them, but also how to help students cope after suffering one.
"We know that a concussion can have a significant impact on a child or youth’s health, including their ability to learn," said Nilani Logeswaran, a spokesperson for Ontario's Ministry of Education.
The TDSB has already trained nearly 5,000 teachers to be more aware of brain injuries, and hopes to complete the training in the coming years. The board will also begin tracking the number of concussions that occur among the student population.
The TDSB will vote on the concussion policy on March 11.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Naomi Parness
