Student athletes at 35 high schools are part of the only pilot program in the country to test for concussions. Dorothy Jamison is a trainer for Calumet and Lake Linden-Hubbell Schools in the Upper Peninsula, and they’ve been using the King-Devick Test this year. She says they do a baseline test at the beginning of the year, and she says they’ll re-do it if they suspect a concussion as it tests every area of the brain.
“If we suspect a concussion, we ask them to do it again on the sidelines after the injury,” said Jamison. “If the time is more than a second longer or if there’s any errors whatsoever compared to the baseline, we disqualify them and send them off to their doctor for evaluation”
Jamison says she’s had about eight Calumet kids who have had concussions, but says she’s ruled out quite a few as well. She’d like to see this test become standard nationwide.
“This picks up the symptoms right away, before the kids even realize that they have issues with the concussion. It’s a pretty interersting test. Michigan is the only high school athletic association in the country doing this kind of program.”
Jamison says 12 NHL teams are using this test this year.
