ImPACT program returns to NHS Athletics

With concussions still a major concern for student athletes and their families across the country, Newtown High School athletes will have access to an assessment tool for the second year in a row that is intended to minimize the number of concussions a student-athlete suffers.

The Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing program, better known as “ImPACT”, is a computerized concussion evaluation system, which consists of a neuropsychological test student athletes take after suffering a head injury. The 20-minute test is used to help determine when it is safe for a student athlete to return to the playing field after suffering a concussion.

“The test is comprised of various verbal and visual memory tests while measuring your reaction time," Newtown High School Athletic Trainer Sabrina Byrne said. "After sustaining a concussion, all of those skills will be slower. If an athlete is injured, I do my best to test them within 72 hours of injury.”

Byrne, along with NHS school psychologist Tom Brant, are the only two people who can administer the test at the high school.

ImPACT made its debut at NHS last year when Dr. Michael Brand of Danbury Orthopedic Associates donated $1,000 to the Athletics Department. He made the same donation this year to allow the program to continue.

While football is the sport most often associated with concussions, Byrne said ImPACT is used for all student-athletes.

“Currently I have 879 athletes tested with baselines," Byrne said. "Last year we had 21 concussions."

In order to properly assess a possible head injury, all Newtown High School athletes receive a pre-test to obtain an initial score also known as a baseline.

“Last year I had to test every single athlete to get a baseline score on them, you need that first before you get a post injury score on them,” she said.

One of the key aspects of ImPACT is its ability to test all types of head injuries.

“ImPACT has helped tremendously on those head injuries where they may not appear to be significant but once they take the test and fail you realize that a small injury to the head can have huge side effects,” Byrne said.

Concussions and head injuries have received plenty of attention lately from high school to professional sports. Concussion management varies from case to case and as a result, ImPACT provides the necessary individualization.

National Hockey League Superstar Sidney Crosby is being treated for concussion symptoms through the ImPACT program.

In addition to the initial assessment, ImPACT helpts to track recovery to allow for a safe return to the field while preventing the cumulative effects of a concussion.

“It is just another tool that I use to determine whether or not an athlete has a headache," Byrne said. "Prior to this I had to go on what the athlete told me about how he or she was feeling and on what I could observe from their behavior.  This gives me a computerized measurement.”