Local students are learning about concussion awareness and injury prevention as a part of a pilot program.
Nipissing District is the second area to pilot the Brain Waves for Secondary Students program, after it started in Toronto.
A presentation from Parachute Canada and students from Nipissing University was given to students and athletes at St Joseph-Scollard Hall this morning (Wednesday).
Biology teacher Joey Gauthier tells BayToday concussions need to be treated seriously, pointing out there are strict protocols involved now.
“It’s really important, I think, because we are seeing an epidemic of depression and anxiety in teenagers and concussions can absolutely play a role in this,” he says.
Students learn about different parts of the brain, basic neuroscience vocabulary, concussion education, and side effects of anxiety and depression through case studies.
Student Darby Paxton has had a few concusions and tells BayToday the program helps people understand the seriousness of concussions.
“I think really important because it is a brain injury and it can start to affect things later on in life, like your learning and it might take even longer to get back to sports if you don’t take the appropriate time. Being an athlete who loves to play sports, it’s important to make sure you’re fully healed before you go back and make it worse,” she says.
Officials say the presentation has been created in order to communicate and emphasize the impact of concussion and the importance of appropriate injury prevention techniques.

 

(photo Chris Dawson BayToday)

Filed under: brain injury, concussions