Dr. Kevin Guskeiwicz, PhD, ATC (Chair)

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

 

Dr. Michael Lehr, DPT, OCS, CSCS (RMU Rep)

• Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions

• Lebanon Valley College

 

Dr. Christina Master, MD

• The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

 

Dr. Michael Gay, PhD, ATC

• Pennsylvania State University

 

Dr. Michele Monaco, PhD, ATC 

• Immaculata University

 

Leading

the Field in

Pediatric Concussion

William Mills, Head Athletic Trainer

(o) 484-595-1144

wmills@malvernprep.org

 

Michael Reinhard, Associate Athletic Trainer

(o) 484-595-1144

mreinhard@malvernprep.org

 

Kit McGettigan, School Nurse

(o) 484-595-1160

cmcgettigan@malvernprep.org

 

Dr. Dorothy Sayers, School Psychologist

(o) 484-595-1165

dsayers@malvernprep.org

 

Francine Cox, High School Learning Specialist

(o) 484-595-5764

fcox@malvernprep.org

 

Carissa Casey, Middle School Learning Specialist

(o) 484-595-1129

ccasey@malvernprep.org

 

Dr. Kevin Walsh, Team Physician/Concussion

(o) 610-520-6170

 

Dr. Christina Master, Concussion @ CHOP

(o) 800-879-2467

 

Dr. Matthew Grady, Concussion @ CHOP

(o) 800-879-2467

 

Welcome

 

to the Malvern Preparatory School concussion research and education website. It is the goal of the website to use the Augustine Values of Truth, Unity and Love in conjunction with evidence-based medicine & research to supply information about concussion to students, parents, coaches, teachers and alumni. In addition this website will be the main medical portal to disseminate information about the concussion research being done at Malvern Prep.

 

Concussion is a serious health problem in the United States. Over the last two decades, sports related concussion has received an increasing amount of popular and scientific attention.1 Sports are second only to motor vehicle collisions as the leading cause of concussion among people aged 15 to 24 years of age.2 There are estimates that 1.6 million to 3.8 million sports related concussions occur each year, including those for which no medical care is sought.3 This is most likely a low estimate because many of these injuries go unrecognized and as many as 50% of concussion go unreported by athletes.4 Concussions represent an estimated 8.5% - 13.2% of all high school athletic injuries.5,6

 

Chronic un-reported concussion is a problem of epidemic proportion in the high school setting.7 Some of the reasons for this are athletes do not recognize the symptoms of a concussion or are reluctant to report the injury because of fear that they will be taken out of a practice or game.8 This failure to report a concussion can lead to a catastrophic event called Second Impact Syndrome (SIS). SIS occurs when the brain shuts down its function because of subsequent applied forces while the athlete’s brain is still experiencing a concussion.9 Additionally, participation in sport can exacerbate symptomologies and elongate the recovery process.10

 

References:

1. Kirkwood MW, Yeates KO, Wilson PE. Pediatric sport-related concussion: a review of the clinical management of an oft-neglected population. Pediatrics. Apr 2006;117(4):1359-1371.

2.Gessel LM, Fields SK, Collins CL, Dick RW, Comstock RD. Concussions among United States high school and collegiate athletes. Journal of athletic training. Oct-Dec 2007;42(4):495-503.

3.Langlois JA, Rutland-Brown W, Wald MM. The epidemiology and impact of traumatic brain injury: a brief overview. The Journal of head trauma rehabilitation. Sep-Oct 2006;21(5):375-378.

4.Harmon KG, Drezner JA, Gammons M, et al. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine position statement: concussion in sport. Br J Sports Med. Jan 2013;47(1):15-26.

5.Halstead ME, Walter KD. American Academy of Pediatrics. Clinical report--sport-related concussion in children and adolescents. Pediatrics. Sep 2010;126(3):597-615.

6.Marar M, McIlvain NM, Fields SK, Comstock RD. Epidemiology of concussions among United States high school athletes in 20 sports. The American journal of sports medicine. Apr 2012;40(4):747-755.

7.Register-Mihalik JK, Guskiewicz KM, McLeod TC, Linnan LA, Mueller FO, Marshall SW. Knowledge, attitude, and concussion-reporting behaviors among high school athletes: a preliminary study. Journal of athletic training. Sep-Oct 2013;48(5):645-653.

8.Kurowski B, Pomerantz WJ, Schaiper C, Gittelman MA. Factors that influence concussion knowledge and self-reported attitudes in high school athletes. The journal of trauma and acute care surgery. Sep 2014;77(3 Suppl 1):S12-17.

9.Bey T, Ostick B. Second impact syndrome. The western journal of emergency medicine. Feb 2009;10(1):6-10.

10.Caskey RC, Nance ML. Management of pediatric mild traumatic brain injury. Advances in pediatrics. Aug 2014;61(1):271-286.