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Keep Your Head Out of the Game
Kids can be highly competitive. They are also energetic and resilient. Often we encourage this behavior, telling a child to “shake it off” when they fall or take a hit during sports activities. Parents and coaches alike will tell kids to play through their injuries in the belief that the kids will somehow be mentally and physically stronger if they do. But playing sports with a concussion won’t make any child a better athlete. In fact, it could force a premature end to their athletic hopes and dreams. It could even end a life.
Organized school sports are a great way for young people to stay healthy as well as to learn teamwork and leadership. They are also a source of pride for schools and communities and can provide the motivation for student athletes to do well academically. Like all activities, school sports do not come without risk. One of the most serious risks is concussion.
Concussions
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head – and the brain inside the skull – to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement of the brain damages the brain cells and creates chemical changes in the brain. Until the brain fully recovers, these chemical changes make the brain more vulnerable to further injury.
Unlike a broken bone, you cannot see a concussion. In fact, brain CAT scans and MRIs are normal with most concussions. Contrary to what many people believe, most concussions occur without a loss of consciousness. While most athletes with a concussion recover quickly and fully, some will have symptoms that last for days, or even weeks. A more serious concussion can last for months or longer.
Young children and teens are more likely to get a concussion than adults, and they take longer to recover from a concussion than adults. As adults, parents and coaches need to take responsibility for ensuring that any young person that has suffered a concussion is evaluated properly and given sufficient time to recover fully. We also need to educate student athletes about the seriousness of concussion and encourage them to report symptoms immediately.
Required Guidelines
As a result of the passage of HB15, each school district in Alaska is required to consult with the Alaska School Activities Association to develop and publish guidelines and other information to educate coaches, school personnel, student athletes and their parents about the nature and risks of concussions. The guidelines must include a description of the risks of return to play and strict protocols for return to play following a head injury.
Following these standards, any student who is suspected of having sustained a concussion during a practice or game must be removed from the practice or game immediately, and they may not return to practice or play until cleared for participation in writing by a licensed health care provider or by a person acting at the direction and under the supervision of a licensed physician.
Educational Resources
Education is the key to preventing serious injury and potential long-term consequences of concussion. Schools, coaches and parents can turn to several organizations for more information:
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website contains a variety of information and resources at www.cdc.gov/concussion/sports. For coaches, they offer a concussion training video, narrated by a former college football player and pro wrestler who retired at age 24 due to concussions.
- The Alaska Regional Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine, in partnership with the Alaska School Activities Association, will be hosting the 2011 Anchorage Concussion Summit on Wednesday, July 20th, at the UAA Wendy Williamson Auditorium. Registration is available online at www.alaskaacsm.org/annualmeeting.html.
- The National Federation of State High School Associations offers a free online course, “Concussion in Sports – What You need To Know,” to provide information and resources to help coaches, officials, parents and students on the importance of proper concussion recognition and management in high school sports. Register at http://www.nfhslearn.com/Courses.aspx.
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