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Concussion Bill Heads to Governor’s Desk

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A concussion is a brain injury, and the Safety in Youth Sport Act is written to protect Pennsylvania’s children from traumatic brain injuries.  “It strengthens our overall protocols when it comes to the safety of our children in scholastic sports, in order to reduce the incidences and potential risks of traumatic head injury,” says State Sen. Pat Browne (R-Northampton), the bill’s prime sponsor. 

SB 200 received unanimous votes in both the Senate and House.  The legislation would sideline student athletes at the first display of concussion symptoms, and require the clearance of an appropriate medical professional before being allowed back on the field.  It also would require the student and parent to sign an awareness form, and mandate coaches to complete an annual concussion certification course. 

Tim Briggs

State Rep. Tim Briggs

State Rep. Tim Briggs (D-Montgomery) has been working on this issue since he was elected to the House in 2008.  He tells Radio PA the awareness piece of the bill may be even more important than the protection piece.  “If we don’t let the parents, let the kids know what can happen if they hide or shrug off the symptoms,” Briggs says, “Then it could have devastating, long-term consequences.” 

The medical community echoes those sentiments.  “I’ve talked to athletes personally… whose lives have in effect been personally affected by a concussion that was suffered in high school or college sports,” says Mike Miller, chairman of the Pennsylvania Brain Injury Coalition. 

The bill applies to students participating in interscholastic sports, school contests and activities.  It is now on its way to Governor Tom Corbett’s desk.  Supporters call it one of the best and most comprehensive bills of its kind in the nation.

More Kids Going To The Emergency Room For Concussions

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State lawmakers are working on legislation to protect youth athletes from complications of concussions.   A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows more kids are ending up in the emergency room for head injuries. 

A review of emergency department visits for sports and recreation-related traumatic brain injuries, including concussions, shows an increase of 62% for kids up to age 19 between 2001 and 2009.

Dr. Julie Gilchrist, co-author of the study, says common activities were involved, including bicycling, football, basketball and soccer. Officials believe much of the increase occurred because more adults realized the youngsters needed to be seen by health care providers.

Boys between the ages of 10-19 were most likely to wind up in the emergency department for a sports or recreation related head injury. About 70% of the injury visits were among boys.

Dr. Gilchrist , a Pediatrician, researcher, and medical epidemiologist at the CDC’s Injury Center,  says for children 0-4 and 5-9, boys and girls were most commonly injured in playground and bicycling activities. She says for boys 10-19, football and bicycling were the most common activities.  For girls in that age group, she says it was bicycling, basketball and soccer.

Dr. Gilchrist says there are a number of things that can be done to prevent injuries.  She says a helmet or the proper safety gear, having the proper skills for the activity and obeying the rules of the sport are key. She says strength and conditioning can also affect concussion rates.

She says beyond prevention, it’s important for people to know the signs of a brain injury and to know what to do. She says a child with a suspected brain injury needs to be evaluated by a health care provider who is familiar with this type of injury.  They will need both physical and cognitive rest until they have fully recovered. 

The state House has passed the ‘Safety in Youth Sports Act’.  It requires student athletes to be pulled from games if they show signs of a concussion.  It also requires students and parents to sign a concussion awareness sheet, and coaches to complete a concussion certification course.  Senate concurrence is pending.