Return to Play

If it was up to Dr. Lester Mayers, young athletes who suffer sports concussions would be not be allowed to return to play (RTP) for 4 to 6 weeks after injury, a significant departure from current concussion guidelines which allow RTP 1 to 2 weeks after an athlete's concussion signs and symptoms clear, both at rest and during exercise.

The SCAT2 is a standardized method of evaluating injured athletes for concussion ages 10 years and older. Although designed for use by medical and health professionals, it includes advice for athletes and parents about signs to watch for in the first 24 to 48 hours after suspected concussion and a list of other important points, including the need for rest and avoiding strenuous activity, and not training or playing sport until medically cleared.

Baseline and post-concussion neuropsychological (NP) testing is now recommended for all athletes in sports with a high risk of concussion (e.g. football, lacrosse, hockey, soccer, basketball), regardless of age or level of performance, but the timing and type of testing may need to be adjusted for children and adolescents.

The question of when it is safe for your child to return to the playing field after suffering a concussion is largely a matter of clinical judgment on an individualized basis, but some hard and fast rules do apply.

Parents should have the right to expect, if their child is playing contact sports, that he or she undergo pre-season baseline and post-injury neuropsychological testing as the current consensus statement on concussions recommends for athletes in such sport, regardless of age or competitive level.

Among the things which increase the anxiety level of parents of children playing contact sports is the fact that many high school programs don't employ athletic trainers who have received training in recognizing the often subtle signs of a concussion. Thus, the fourth point in the Parent's Bill of Rights on Concussions is the right to expect that a certified athletic trainer (ATC) be on staff.