Crescent School and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital combine strengths toward a concussion strategy to impact health of students across North America.

TORONTO, ON (October 13, 2016) – Crescent School and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital have taken the lead in a groundbreaking collaboration to raise concussion awareness and education among a large student and teacher population. Crescent is the first school in the province to collaborate with a hospital to implement a comprehensive concussion care program to improve the overall health of its students.

“This kind of collaboration is meant to get kids back to what they need, want, and love to do. It’s essential that in addition to sport, we also consider school, social, family, and all other activities that are important and meaningful to kids,” says Dr. Nick Reed, co-director and clinician scientist in Holland Bloorview’s concussion centre. “Young brains are still developing and require a unique approach and evidence-based strategies to help children and youth get back to the activities that make up their daily lives following brain injury. We’re thrilled to work with Crescent School on this important initiative.”

“Crescent School believes that health and well being – in mind, body and spirit – is the foundation to the success of our students,” says Michael Fellin, headmaster, Crescent School. “Last year, 46 Crescent boys (one in 16) suffered a concussion, calling for a greater need to appropriately support these boys in their recovery. Through the Crescent School and Holland Bloorview Concussion Centre collaboration, we are improving concussion awareness and education, and designing concussion care protocols that ensure the safety of all students at Crescent.”

The hospital and school have collaborated on curriculum development, teacher and staff education, and concussion care to deliver and launch a comprehensive model of excellence. The collaboration marks an important step toward taking action on some of the recommendations made in the Provincial Policy Memorandum 158 (“PPM 158”)[i] for school board policies on concussion, and the impending policies to be outlined in Rowan’s Law.[ii]

The unique collaboration stemmed from the need to better understand how school can help students recover from concussion. Crescent is the first school to take part in this program, which also included concussion baseline testing on its entire student body of 732 boys in grades 3 through 12. The testing began on October 3 and will conclude on October 17.

“Holland Bloorview’s baseline testing is unique in that it includes followup care by trained medical and rehabilitation specialists in pediatric brain injury,” says Jason Carmichael, co-director, Holland Bloorview’s concussion centre. “In support from our leading pediatric concussion experts and latest research from the hospital’s onsite research institute, we’ve designed the most comprehensive baseline test and early care program available. It includes a range of cognitive and physical measures that help get a fuller picture of brain and body performance, allowing our physicians to make more informed decisions on when it is safe for a child to return to activity.”

“Based on my personal experience, I think that the baseline testing provides an added safeguard to concussion recovery. It’s good to be safe and to know where you are at in terms of your health,” says Jack Lambert, Grade 7 student, Crescent School.

Holland Bloorview's concussion centre is one of the first in the world dedicated exclusively to pediatric concussion, and is a strong advocate for the proper identification, assessment and management of childhood and youth concussion. The centre focuses on three key pillars: Education, research, and clinical services. It works closely with sport- and school- communities – such as Crescent School – to educate thousands of youth, parents, teachers, coaches and medical professionals across the province on concussion management and recovery.

To learn more about the Concussion Centre at Holland Bloorview, please visit: /concussion.

About Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is Canada's largest children's rehabilitation hospital, fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. We pioneer treatments, technologies, therapies and real-world programs that give children with disabilities the tools to participate fully in life. The Concussion Centre at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is one of the first in the world dedicated exclusively to pediatric concussion. The centre includes clinicians specifically trained in pediatric brain injury and researchers who are leading experts in the field of youth concussion care, research, and education. The Concussion Centre is focused on getting kids back to doing what they need, want and love to do after sustaining a concussion.

About Crescent School

Crescent School has been a leader in boys' education since 1913. Set on a beautiful, 30-acres campus in mid-Toronto, Crescent School is an independent, all-boys school for grades 3 - 12 housing over 730 students. Its mission, Men of Character from Boys of Promise, is the bedrock and sets the foundation for every aspect of the school curriculum, co-curriculum and teaching pedagogy.

For more information, please contact:

Alexandra Babakhanova
Communications Associate
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
ababakhanova@hollandbloorview.ca
416-425-6220 ext. 6263

Lynda Torneck
Director of Marketing and Communications
Crescent School
ltorneck@crescentschool.org
416-449-2556 ext. 267

[i] Policy/Program Memorandum No. 158. /sites/default/files/migrate/files/158.pdf

[ii] Rowan’s Law. http://rowanslaw.ca/facts/