Karen McAvoy1, Brenda Eagan-Johnson2, Rosalie Dymacek3, Stephen Hooper4, Melissa McCart5, Janet Tyler6. 1. Center for Concussion Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, 10107 RidgeGate Pkwy, Suite #310, Lone Tree, CO, 80124. 2. BrainSTEPS Brain Injury School Consulting Program, 1891 Old State Road, New Castle, PA, 16101. 3. Nebraska Department of Education. 4. Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of North Carolina, 333 S. Columbia Street, Suite 304, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514. 5. Center on Brain Injury Research and Training, Rainier Building, 1244 Walnut Street, Suite 220, Eugene, OR, 97403. 6. Health and Wellness, Colorado Department of Education, 201 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO, 80203.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Returning to learn following a concussion is the process of managing a student's recovery during the school day by implementation of academic supports with varying intensity. Due to a lack of consensus or even guidance on Return to Learn, this paper set out to establish cross discipline consensus on some essential elements of Return to Learn using a Delphi method. METHODS: Sixteen national organizations participated in a Delphi process to reach consensus on overarching themes of Return to Learn focused on: returning a student to school, composition of the school-based concussion management team, progress-monitoring, educational safeguards, neuropsychological testing, and legislation. Two rounds of questionnaires were disseminated via email using a Delphi process. Consensus was established during round 2. RESULTS: Twelve national organizations were able to reach consensus and endorse 13 essential elements of Return to Learn following a concussion. CONCLUSIONS: There continues to be limited research on concussion Return to Learn leading to confusion in the field. In this paper, we demonstrate consensus on a number of essential elements, from a wide variety of professional disciplines who participate in the care of students following a concussion, as a starting place for some guidance on Return to Learn.
BACKGROUND: Returning to learn following a concussion is the process of managing a student's recovery during the school day by implementation of academic supports with varying intensity. Due to a lack of consensus or even guidance on Return to Learn, this paper set out to establish cross discipline consensus on some essential elements of Return to Learn using a Delphi method. METHODS: Sixteen national organizations participated in a Delphi process to reach consensus on overarching themes of Return to Learn focused on: returning a student to school, composition of the school-based concussion management team, progress-monitoring, educational safeguards, neuropsychological testing, and legislation. Two rounds of questionnaires were disseminated via email using a Delphi process. Consensus was established during round 2. RESULTS: Twelve national organizations were able to reach consensus and endorse 13 essential elements of Return to Learn following a concussion. CONCLUSIONS: There continues to be limited research on concussion Return to Learn leading to confusion in the field. In this paper, we demonstrate consensus on a number of essential elements, from a wide variety of professional disciplines who participate in the care of students following a concussion, as a starting place for some guidance on Return to Learn.