Waterloo company says it can detect concussions through saliva [Video]

A company in Waterloo, Ont. is using saliva to try and better detect concussions in athletes – before the symptoms even appear.

HeadFirst, working out of the University of Waterloo’s Velocity startup incubator, has developed an easy-to-use test kit.

It’s similar to a COVID-19 test, with the patient spitting onto a receptacle and results come within minutes. Once complete, the test will show either one line, which indicates a negative reading, or two lines indicating the patient is concussed.

HeadFirst’s saliva tester for concussions.

Andrew Cordssen-David, the company’s co-founder and CEO, said he played high-level hockey for years and has experience with head trauma.

“I got exposed to a lot of concussions,” he told CTV News. “I’d say less than a handful were documented, and I’d say probably around the same that were undocumented.”

Cordssen-David said concussion protocols have remained relatively the same for decades and the system is missing a definitive test for players …