By Kaitlyn Kanzler, Special Writer
CRANBURY – School nurse Barbara O’Connell recommended that the school should not do imPACT testing for concussions for middle school students at the Cranbury Township Board of Education meeting this week.
According to Ms. O’Connell, it would not be fiscally responsible to do this testing because it is focused on returning athletes to the field faster.
”We would need to hire an athletic trainer or a school nurse with imPACT training or take the training ourselves,” Ms. O’Connell said. “And this is only one piece that a physician uses to diagnosis concussions. There’s neurological testing, physical symptoms, cognitive symptoms, sleep changes, and emotional symptoms.”
ImPACT testing is Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing and is the “first, most-widely used, and most scientifically validated computerized concussion evaluation system. ImPACT was developed to provide useful information to assist qualified practitioners in making sound return-to-play decisions following concussions,” according to the imPACT Test’s website.
”I would rather have the children rest and heal, not go back out onto the field,” Ms. O’Connell said.
ImPACT testing is only available for middle school and older students.
According to Ms. O’Connell, there were eight cases of concussions with only three occurring during school.
It would cost the school $500 per year to conduct 300 baseline tests with 30 post-injury tests and it is recommended that middle school students get tested every year, according to Ms. O’Connell.
It would take an estimated 15 hours to conduct testing on 17 groups and about 45 minutes for each individual group of 13 students, she said.
On top of the $500 a year fee, it would cost around $225 for basic training, not including travel costs and time costs.
Ms. O’Connell also voiced concerns about being able to get results to a child’s physician in the appropriate amount of time.
Post-concussion testing would need to be done in the computer library 24-48 hours after the injury and needs to be repeated by the physician.
”What happens during weekends or holiday periods? There are liability issues,” Ms. O’Connell said.
According to Ms. O’Connell, only a a student’s physician can authorize a full return to activity at the school.”I know that there is information for the coaches about the students with concussions, but what I’m concerned about is that there isn’t a connection between the teachers and the doctors,” board member Evelyn Spann said. “If they have a concussion, they should not be doing two hour reading assignments or writing a three-page paper.”
”Doctors’ instructions are very specific on what the students can and cannot do,” board member Wendi Patella said, whose daughter has had two concussions.
”In between the time where my daughter was diagnosed, the difference in the doctor’s instructions was huge.”
For those interested in learning more about imPACT testing, visit their website at http://impacttest.com/.

