Leslie Duinink, associate professor of exercise science at Central College, was invited to join Concussion Community of Practice, a statewide group responsible for developing guidelines for helping kids recover from concussions.
Duinink, Iowa Athletic Training Association liaison to Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa, has delivered concussion management webinars to the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and other groups. She also conducts concussion-related research at Central College with associate professor of sociology Dawn Reece.
After recently implementing a new concussion management program, IDPH identified further work needed to provide support for schools. Duinink and this group will develop resources to help Iowa educators and professionals serve every student who suffers a concussion.
It’s often difficult for schools — and other organizations with limited resources — to help students recover from concussions, Duinink says. The new guidelines will help teachers, school nurses, coaches and other professionals recognize and respond to concussions resulting from playground injuries, motor vehicle accidents and other injuries. “It’s not just sports,” Duinink says. “Kids get hurt doing everyday things like we all do.”