Rowan Stringer was 17 years old when she died from a condition known as second impact syndrome. While playing rugby, Rowan is believed to have experienced three concussions over six days. She didn’t know her brain needed time to heal. Neither did her parents, teachers or coaches.

Rowan’s Law and Rowan’s Law Day honour Rowan’s memory and aim to bring awareness to concussions and concussion safety. This year, Rowan’s Law Day falls on September 30, which is also the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Sudbury Catholic Schools will therefore recognize Rowan’s Law Day on Monday, September 28.

HIT: A concussion can result from a hit to the head, neck or body. It can affect how a person thinks, feels and acts. A person does not need to lose consciousness to have a concussion, and symptoms may not appear immediately.

STOP: If you think a student or athlete may have sustained a concussion, stop the activity immediately and seek help. Students with a suspected concussion should be assessed by a physician or nurse practitioner.

SIT: A student with a suspected concussion must sit out of sports and activities where another injury could occur. They should not return to physical activity that day and must follow the appropriate return-to-school and return-to-activity steps.

When in doubt, sit them out.

Signs and symptoms of a concussion can be physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioural or related to sleep. They may include:

• Headache, dizziness or balance problems
• Nausea or vomiting
• Blurred or double vision
• Sensitivity to light or sound
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering
• Confusion or appearing dazed
• Irritability, sadness or unusual emotions
• Changes in sleep or energy levels

If a student experiences severe or worsening symptoms, including loss of consciousness, repeated vomiting, seizures, increasing confusion, slurred speech, severe headache or neck pain, call 911 immediately.

To learn more, view the following resource: Rowan's Law - Signs of a Concussion Poster