A survey [1] by C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and the University of Michigan of parents of children age 12 to 17 years playing school sports reported a surprising lack of knowledge by parents of concussion risks, although six in ten were at least somewhat worried their children will suffer a concussion while playing school sports.
The survey also found that eight in ten support a requirement that an athlete be evaluated and cleared by a doctor before being allowed to return to play sports after suffering a concussion (as is now required by law, [2] at least at the high school level, in virtually every state).
Despite their lack of knowledge, parents of young athletes are concerned about concussions:
Note: the latest international consensus of sports concussion experts [6] is that every concussion is different and that there are no hard and fast rules [7]. Studies show, however, that most athletes recover from concussion in about 7 to 10 days. A 2010 study of concussions in nine high school sports during the 2008-2009 school year (Meehan, et al. 2010) found that 83.4% of those who suffered a concussion experienced resolution of their symptoms within a week.
For more on return to play guidelines, click here [4].
The survey indicates "substantial room for improvement, particularly in the area of educating parents [about concussions]."
"The involvement of parents in guarding against repeat concussions is critical," says the survey, particularly because most concussions do not result in a loss of consciousness [12], symptoms may not occur until several hours or even days after the injury (delayed onset is more common among youth athletes), and the reluctance of athletes to report symptoms [13].
Parents thus play an important role [14] in the recognition and treatment of concussions and should notify school and/or health care personnel if they have any concerns.
March 5, 2014 editor's note: In the first study thus far to evaluate the impact of concussion legislation on familiarity with head injury (Shenouda C, et al. 2012), researchers at the University of Washington found that, a year after enactment in Washington State of its groundbreaking Zackery Lystedt Law [15], 96% of respondents (parents, coaches, and other persons involved in athletics) understood that concussion were a form of traumatic brain injury [16], and that 90% would delay an athlete's return to play when neurological symptoms were present. Fewer individuals understood return-to-play guidelines, including the requirement of written clearance (73%), or that a parent could not clear the athlete for RTP (88%).
A second study (Chrisman SP, et al. 2014), focusing on the knowledge of high school coaches in Washington State, found that concussion knowledge was high. Nearly all coaches answered the concussion knowledge questions correctly:
Sources:
C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health, Vol. 10, Issue 1 (June 14, 2010) [1]
Chrisman SP, Schiff MA, Chung SK, Herring SA, Rivara FP. Implementation of Concussion Legislation and Extent of Concussion Education for Athletes, Parents, and Coaches in Washington State. Am J Sports Med. 2014;20(10). DOI:10.1177/0363546513519073.
Meehan W, d'Hemecourt P, Comstock D, "High School Concussions in the 2008-2009 Academic Year: Mechanism, Symptoms, and Management" Am. J. Sports. Med. 2010; 38(12): 2405-2409 (accessed December 2, 2010 at http://ajs.sagepub.com/content/38/12/2405.abstract?etoc [17]).
Shenouda C, Hendrickson P, Davenport K, Barber J, Bell KR. The effects of concussion legislation one year later - what we have learned: a descriptive pilot survey of youth soccer player associates. PM R 2012;4:427-435
Tomei KL, Doe C, Prestigiacomo, Gandhi CD. Comparative analysis of state-level concussion legislation and review of current practices in concussion. Neurosurg Focus 2012;33(6):E11.
Links:
[1] http://mottnpch.org/reports-surveys/concussions-school-sports-parents-ill-prepared-role-reducing-kid’s-risks
[2] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/every-state-has-youth-sports-concussion-safety-law
[3] https://www.momsteam.com/node/156
[4] https://www.momsteam.com/node/128
[5] https://www.momsteam.com/node/118
[6] https://www.momsteam.com/node/2695
[7] https://www.momsteam.com/node/125
[8] https://www.momsteam.com/node/208
[9] https://www.momsteam.com/node/188
[10] https://www.momsteam.com/node/3015
[11] https://www.momsteam.com/node/114
[12] https://www.momsteam.com/node/150
[13] https://www.momsteam.com/node/2987
[14] https://www.momsteam.com/node/146
[15] https://www.momsteam.com/node/3134
[16] https://www.momsteam.com/node/2903
[17] http://ajs.sagepub.com/content/38/12/2405.abstract?etoc
[18] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/parents-critical-participants-in-recognition-treatment-recovery-concussion
[19] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/concussion-signs-and-symptoms-physical-cognitive-emotional-sleep-related
[20] https://www.momsteam.com/team-of-experts/concussion-safety-12-point-checklist-for-parents
[21] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/debunking-common-sports-concussion-myths
[22] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/concussion-safety/more-conservative-approach-concussions-in-children-teens-recommended
[23] https://www.momsteam.com/team-of-experts/brooke-de-lench/sports-safety/momsteams-de-lench-gives-keynote-address-on-concussion
[24] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/return-to-play/concussion-return-to-play-step-by-step-approach-recommended
[25] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/no-same-day-return-play-after-concussion
[26] https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/concussion-safety/recognition-evaluation/determining-concussion-severity-a-new-approac