Health & Safety

The only way parents can sit in the stands without worrying sick about what might happen if their son or daughter suffers a concussion is if they know the program takes concussions very seriously, and that every member of the team - coach, athletic trainer, athlete, parent, and team doctor - is following the same playbook, or what I call the the Parent's Bill of Rights for Concussion Safety.

A concussion should be suspected when an athlete receiving a direct or indirect blow to the head which causes him to experience any post-concussion signs or symptoms, including but not limited to loss of consciousness or post-traumatic amnesia. If any of such symptoms or problems is present, a head injury should be suspected and appropriate management, including monitoring for deterioration, begun.

Parents are "critical participants" in their child's recovery from a concussion, not only in the first 24 to 48 hours but during every step in the process towards an eventual return to the play.

Because the brain of the young athlete is still developing, with even subtle damage leading to learning deficits adversely affecting development, and with studies showing younger athletes recover more slowly than adults, all of the recent consensus statements on sport-related concussions recommend a more conservative approach to concussion management for the youth athlete than for older athletes.