What’s Your Concussion IQ?

It can happen during a game or practice, and can occur in any sport even if you haven’t been knocked out and even if you’ve just been “dinged”. A concussion is a type of brain injury, usually caused by a bump, or blow to the head and ultimately it can change the way your brain works.

Emergency department visits for concussion are statistically on the rise (by more than 200 percent during the past 10 years), but that doesn’t mean concussion incidence is growing. Experts agree, it simply means people are more aware of the symptoms and seriousness of concussions and they’re reporting it more often. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 3.8 million sports and recreation related concussions occur in the United States each year. Symptoms can include: headache, nausea, vomiting, balance problems, double and blurry vision, sensitivity to light/noise and confusion. Sometimes having a concussion has been described as “just not feeling right”.

What should you do if you think you have a concussion?

Never ignore a bump or a blow to your head – Tell your coach and parents.

See your doctor or health care provider to be sure you are OK to return to play.

If it is a concussion, your brain needs time to recover – rest and let your brain heal.

Remember. . . when in doubt, sit it out!

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Concussion Prevention Law May Come Soon

Did you know that the House approved a bill that would establish guidelines on how to prevent, identify and treat concussions, including how soon a student-athlete can return to play? It is formally known as the Concussion Treatment and Care Tools (ConTACT) Act, and was first presented by Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) and Sen. Robert Menendez. (D-N.J.). Pascrell proposed the bill, which now requires Senate approval, after two incidents involving New Jersey high schools students. One died in 2008 after returning to a football game without recovering from a previous concussion.  Another suffered 11 concussions in four years and was forced to give up basketball.
The proposed legislation requires that Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services gather medical and athletic experts within two years to set concussion management guidelines for all athletes in all sports, ages 5 to 18, including the decision of when a concussed athlete can return to a sport. It also allows for grants to states for helping them implement those guidelines and for the testing equipment to evaluate the effect of the concussions.
The next steps for this bill will be the Senate, after which President Obama could sign it into law.
Separate from this Act, the House Education and Labor Committee held its second hearing on the more recent Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act, listening to testimony from five experts on youth concussions and their possible consequences. Its bill would require public schools districts to develop and put in place their own plans for sports concussion management, would explicitly require that any athlete suspected of concussion must be removed from play until cleared by an appropriate health care professional and call for special scholastic services for athletes in recovery.
This is great news for all that care about youth sports. We’ll keep you posted on the latest legislation developments on this blog.

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