PITTSBURG, KS.--- Ensuring safety for student athletes is Janelle Diamond's goal.
"It used to be where concussions where regarded as just a little head ding, they'll be okay but we're finding out that the little head ding is much greater than just a head ding," states Janelle Diamond, Trauma Director, Via Christi Hopspital.
Diamond is the Trauma Director at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg. For the last year, she has implemented a concussion awareness program at 6 schools in Crawford County.
"You don't have to hit your head, it can just be a sudden movement that can jar your brain in your skull," states Diamond.
She teaches coaches how to recognize if a student has suffered brain injury and when to get immediate help.
"We want to recognize that these kids have gotten a concussion and keep them safe," states Diamond.
Thanks to a $7,500 grant from the Mount Carmel Foundation, Via Christi can now expand the computer based cognitive testing to schools in all 14 Southeast Kansas counties, at no cost.
"I'm pleased to be part of it and provide that to our community," states Diamond.
The testing determines if the brain's healing process is complete after a hard hit, it's usually administered a few days after the student is injured.
"The rest period is very important because that allows the brain to go back to it's normal functioning," states Diamond.
The grant will also fund training for physicians at community health clinics on how to properly treat concussions. It will also pay for educational materials for parents, so they know what to do if their child suffers a concussion.
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