Ahead of the Game: The Parent's Guide to Youth Sports Concussion

Over the past decade, a flurry of media stories devoted to sports-related concussions have drawn attention to the previously “silent epidemic” of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in athletes. From 2001 to 2009, the annual number of sports-related TBI emergency department visits in individuals age 19 and under climbed from 153,375 to 248,414, an increase of increase of 62 percent. Multiple head injuries place youth athletes at risk for serious health conditions, including cerebral swelling, brain herniation, and even death — postconcussive conditions that have collectively (and controversially) been referred to as “second impact syndrome.” Studies have shown that children and teens — and girls, in particular — are more likely to sustain a concussion and have a longer recovery time than adults. Recent research also suggests that even subconcussive hits in children and adolescents may result in longer-term health effects such as decreased cognitive functioning, increased rates of depression, memory problems, and mild cognitive impairment (a pre-Alzheimer’s condition).

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School Concussion Policy in Colorado: Lack of Knowledge and Access Are Barriers to Education

The Journal of School Nursing ◽

10.1177/1059840520964925 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 105984052096492

Author(s):

Alissa Wicklund ◽

Barb Andrews ◽

J. Douglas Coatsworth

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Sport Participation ◽

Youth Sports ◽

School Personnel ◽

School Nurses ◽

School Level ◽

State Laws ◽

Barriers To Education ◽

Sports Concussion ◽

Ease Of Access

All states have youth sports concussion laws that have helped shape school concussion policy. However, state laws do not specify how schools distribute policy. The present study examined parent, youth, and school personnel’s knowledge of school concussion policy in Colorado and ease of access to policy via school website. Youth ( n = 1,987), parents ( n = 520), and school personnel ( n = 130) completed an online survey about knowledge of their schools’ concussion policy. Less than half of parents (48.9%) and students (43.0%) knew their school had a policy. School personnel were aware of the policy (96%). Among youth, rates of knowledge differed across gender, school level, and sport participation. Forty-nine percent of school district websites contained information on concussion. There are gaps in knowledge of concussion policy for youth and their parents. Teachers, administrators, coaches, and school nurses, who are educated on policy, could help facilitate communication. School websites are not being fully utilized to disseminate concussion policy.

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Online Training in Sports Concussion for Youth Sports Coaches

International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching ◽

10.1260/1747-9541.5.1.1 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Ann Glang ◽

Michael C. Koester ◽

Sherry Beaver ◽

Janet Clay ◽

Karen McLaughlin

Keyword(s):

Youth Sports ◽

Online Training ◽

Sports Concussion ◽

Sports Coaches

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The Clinical Implications of Youth Sports Concussion Laws: A Review

American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine ◽

10.1177/1559827616688883 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 172-181

Author(s):

Jeneita M. Bell ◽

Christina L. Master ◽

Michael R. Lionbarger

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Student Athletes ◽

Youth Sports ◽

Health Care Facilities ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Return To Play ◽

Clinical Implications ◽

Sports Concussion

The recent passage of state youth sports concussion laws across the country introduces clinical implications for health care professionals caring for student-athletes. Although the laws were established to provide protections for student-athletes and prevent adverse outcomes, efforts aimed at implementation have uncovered various challenges in concussion diagnosis and management. Some of the most salient issues include medical evaluation, return to play, and return to learn. For this reason, health care professionals play a pivotal role in determining the critical next steps after a student is removed from play with a suspected concussion. Also, state laws may influence an influx of concussion patients to health care facilities and, thereby, present various unforeseen challenges that can be mitigated with adequate clinical preparation. This is key to helping student-athletes recover and resume regular activities in sports, recreation, and education. This review describes the various components of state youth sports concussion laws relevant to clinical practice and nuances that health care professionals should appreciate in this context. Additionally, concussion tools and strategies that can be used in clinical practice are discussed.

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It is time to rewrite state youth sports concussion laws

BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine ◽

10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000959 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. e000959

Author(s):

Jonathan Howland ◽

Holly Hackman ◽

Alcy Torres ◽

Julia Campbell ◽

Jonathan Olshaker

Keyword(s):

Low Income ◽

Youth Sports ◽

Return To Play ◽

Academic Learning ◽

Academic Accommodations ◽

Traffic Crashes ◽

Sports Concussion ◽

Medical Clearance ◽

Return To Learn ◽

And Performance

Between 2009 and 2014, all 50 states and the District of Columbia passed legislation to improve the recognition and management of youth concussed in sports. These laws can include requirements for concussion training for school athletic personnel, concussion education for children and their parents, return-to-play (RTP) procedures, and medical clearance to for RTP. Concussion can impact academic learning and performance in children and adolescents. Postconcussion academic accommodations during recovery can be an important component of secondary prevention for mitigating the sequalae of head injury. Few state youth concussion laws, however, include provision of postconcussion return-to-learn (RTL) accommodations and most of those that do address RTL apply to student athletes only. Concussions may occur in youth who are not participating in organised sports (eg, falls, traffic crashes) and thus may not be subjected to RTL accommodations, even if the state mandates such procedures for athletes. Low income and students of colour may be more likely to have non-sports concussions than their more affluent and white peers, thus potentially creating demographic disparities in the benefits of RTL procedures. State youth sports concussion laws should be revised so that they include RTL provisions that apply to all students, athletes and non-athletes alike.

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