National Alliance for Youth Sports –
SportingKid Magazine
Fall 2007
"The largest number of participants is at the youth level, yet they have the least amount of expertise on the sidelines with knowledge of how to recognize and handle head injuries."
Dave Rossi, chief marketing officer Schutt Sports
CREATING AWARENESS
The bottom line is that, as millions of children participate in assorted sports this fall, the risk of concussions is ever present. But then again, so are broken limbs and strained muscles, too.
"Parents need to remember that active sports always carry some risk of injury," Webbe says. "This does not mean that parents should withhold their children from contact sports, just that they need to exercise good judgment when it comes to participation. There is no substitute for having qualified coaches in structured leagues that are governed by well-developed rules and guidelines. Parents also should take the time to observe their child's practice sessions, as well as games. Good coaching not only transmits proper technical skill, but also smart playing tactics."
By making sure coaches teach only proper and safe techniques, that appropriate safety equipment is utilized and that adults understand the signs of concussions, the risk to young athletes can be minimized.
"We are a sport-crazed society and that's wonderful," Guskiewicz says. "We teach kids how to kick a soccer ball and throw a football before we teach them how to hold a fork or write their name. I'm a proponent of physical activity, and there comes a responsibility with every one of us in society to do our part."
CDC releases comprehensive Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports tool kit
In 2006 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gathered leading experts to discuss the issue of concussions in youth sports.The result of that meeting is the recently released Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sportstool kit, which features fact sheets for coaches, parents and athletes, as well as a variety of other materials to help everyone involved in youth sports get a handle on recognizing and responding to these injuries.
The following information is reprinted with permission from CDC. For more information, or to obtain the tool kit, visit www.cdc.gov/ConcussionInYouthSports.
SIGNS OBSERVED BY COACHING STAFF
Appears dazed or stunned
Is confused about assignment or position
Forgets sports plays
Is unsure of game, score, or opponent
Moves clumsily
Answers questions slowly
Loses consciousness (even briefly)
Shows behavior or personality changes
Can't recall events prior to hit or fall
Can't recall events after hit or fall
SYMPTOMS REPORTED BY ATHLETE
Headache or "pressure" in head
Nausea or vomiting
Balance problems or dizziness
Double or blurry vision
Sensitivity to light
Sensitivity to noise
Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy
Concentration or memory problems
Confusion
Does not "feel right"
WHAT SHOULD A COACH DO WHEN A CONCUSSION IS SUSPECTED?
Remove the athlete from play. Look for the signs and symptoms of a concussion if your athlete has experienced a bump or blow to the head. Athletes who experience signs or symptoms of concussion should not be allowed to return to play. When in doubt, keep the athlete out of play.
Ensure that the athlete is evaluated right away by an appropriate health care professional. Do not try to judge the severity of the injury yourself. Health care professionals have a number of methods that they can use to assess the severity of concussions. As a coach, recording the following information can help health care professionals in assessing the athlete after the injury:
Cause of the injury and force of the hit or blow to the head
Any loss of consciousness (passed out/knocked out) and if so, for how long
Any memory loss immediately following the injury
Any seizures immediately following the injury
Number of previous concussions (if any)
Inform the athlete's parents or guardians about the possible concussion and give them the fact sheet on concussion. Make sure they know that the athlete should be seen by a health care professional experienced in evaluating for concussion.
Allow the athlete to return to play only with permission from a health care professional with experience in evaluating for concussion. A repeat concussion that occurs before the brain recovers from the first can slow recovery or increase the likelihood of having longterm problems. Prevent common longterm problems and the rare second impact syndrome by delaying the athlete's return to the activity until the player receives appropriate medical evaluation and approval for return to play.
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PATENT NOS.: US 6,675,395, US 6,978,487 & US 7,234,174. OTHER NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL PATENTS PENDING