A better way to care for concussions

Imagine the roar of a stadium of football fans filling the air on a cool, fall day as local high school players go head to head for a spot in the county finals. But, after the players slam into one another, the ball moves downfield and whistles blow, a player appears unsteady on his feet, and his parents watch him anxiously as he weaves back to the huddle.

Another possible concussion.

Coaches and players used to brush off seemingly minor head injuries. They come with the territory of contact sports. However, new state legislation is now being implemented in the East Meadow School District to protect all students, especially athletes.

In a bill introduced by Sen. Kemp Hannon last March, schools are now required to take extra precautions when caring for students who sustain concussions. “The intensity of our sports programs, and sometimes intramural programs in our schools, has lead to more incidents of concussions taking place,” Hannon told the Herald. “This is an actual medical condition that has severe complications in the short run and the long run.”

The law requires that coaches, trainers, athletic directors, phys. ed. teachers and nurses receive training every two years, at a minimum, on the signs and symptoms of concussions; that athletes who sustain concussions receive medical clearance before returning to play; and that parents notify the school if their child suffers a concussion.

“We were basically following these guidelines already,” said Kevin Regan, chairman of physical education and the health department at East Meadow High School. “We try to stay ahead of the curve on these things.”

As Anthony Russo, assistant superintendent for personnel and administration, explained at a Board of Education work session last month, the law is now reflected in school policy. Russo added that the district has also implemented a more stringent policy requiring that all injuries be treated in accordance with the rules established for concussions.

Additionally, district staff will receive concussion training every year rather than every two years.

Players who engage in contact sports like football, lacrosse and wrestling also receive concussion training. “I think making the kids aware as well is really important,” Regan said.

“Awareness and recognition is so important to keep kids safe,” added Catherine Blotiau, coordinator of Safe Kids Nassau County, a chapter of Safe Kids USA that works to prevent unintentional childhood injury. Blotiau said that teaching children to wear bicycle helmets is the first step, and she was looking forward to sharing this information with students at McVey Elementary School on May 10. “The earlier you start things,” she said, “the more accepted it is, the more routine it is.”

Blotiau said that students at McVey would attend a sports safety event at which she planned to show them the proper way to wear a bike helmet and to emphasize concussion recognition and the steps to take when a teammate is injured. “Kids think, ‘I didn’t pass out, I didn’t black out, so it’s not so bad,’” she said, “[but] it is possible to sustain an injury and not have symptoms immediately.”

Signs and Symptoms of Concussions

Concussions are not always easy to recognize and, as a result, teens may put themselves at risk of even more serious injury. A concussion can occur without a loss of consciousness. After a hard collision, players may return to a game before they should. After a fall, a skateboarder may get back on his board and continue skating, thinking nothing’s wrong.

That’s a problem. If the brain hasn’t healed properly when a person suffers another brain injury — even one involving less force — the compounding effect can be dramatically more harmful than the original injury. Repeated injury to the brain can lead to dangerous swelling, long-term disability or death. It is crucially important to recognize and understand the signs of a concussion.

Symptoms of may include:

• “Seeing stars” and feeling dazed, dizzy or lightheaded

• Memory loss, including difficulty remembering things that happened right before and after the injury

• Nausea or vomiting

• Headaches

• Blurred vision and sensitivity to light

• Slurred speech or saying things that don’t make sense

• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

• Difficulty with coordination or balance, such as being unable to catch a ball

• Feeling anxious or irritable for no apparent reason

• Feeling overly tired

Courtesy KidsHealth