NYS announces new concussion management plan
Posted at: 02/02/2012 4:00 PM
| Updated at: 02/02/2012 6:28 PM
By: Benita Zahn
Photo: Lou Swierzowski
Outrageously funny commercials are a big part of Super Bowl Sunday. But one of the commercials you’ll see during this Sunday isn’t about laughs. It was created by the NFL to address concussions.
Growing awareness of that head injury is why New York has a new law going on the books this summer and schools working, right now, to keep your kids safe.
“Depends. If we’re playing in the sectional finals and I’m going to be the runner that’s going to score the winning run I might stay in if it’s not that bad,” said Tyler Vyce.
Vyce is a junior, baseball player at Shenendehowa. He’s talking about what he might do if he had a concussion.
Understandable, but potentially dangerous and that’s why New York is trying to improve awareness and education about concussions, driving home the point, it’s not having your bell rung: a concussion is a brain injury.
“And because it’s a brain injury it affects not just physically but mentally and cognitively as well,” said Rick Kniezik.
Kniezik is the certified athletic trainer in the Shenendehowa School District. He applauds New York’s soon to be adopted law.
“The basic premise of removing an athlete for a minimum 24 hours, require medical clearance, going though the return of play program, I think that’s all vital to a safe return,” said Kniezik.
Those are the key elements of the concussion management plan New York will have on the books, July 1.
It would bench a kid suspected of a concussion, keep them sidelined if it’s confirmed and then, when the child is symptom free, slowly get them back to class or the field of play. It’s all spelled out on cards for coaches provided by the NYS Public High School Athletic Association.
Then they’ll be monitored by either a doctor, nurse, athletic trainer or coach as they engage in sport specific activities, non-contact practice, contact practice and return to play. If any concussion symptoms recur they’ll be rested and the protocol restarted. A school doctor has to sign off on their return.
“We expect it to take 7 to 10 days for adults the younger you are the longer it can last,” said Dr. Hamish Kerr.
Kerr specializes in sports medicine. He says, not every head injury results in concussion, but a concussion can increase your risk for another one and successive concussions can add up to big trouble.
“Once you’ve had probably 3 concussions there may be permanent neurological, psychological deficits,” said Kerr.
That’s why 11-year-old Michael Kendrick is limited to shooting hoops in his bedroom.
His first concussion happened in November during a hoop game, his second happened in January during a game of touch football.
“I went to the neurologist the other day and he told me I could only watch like half an hour of TV and no video games,” said Kendrick.
Because his brain has to rest in order to heal and his mother is keeping close tabs on his recovery.
“You know kids play, kids get hurt. There’s all kinds of injuries in sports. You know but you want to make sure their injury’s not something that’s going to have lifelong consequences,” said Kim Kendrick.
Helping to diagnose and follow concussion recovery is a computer program called impact.
Impact provides neurocognitive assessment tools, testing your attention, reaction and retention skills. A growing number of schools use it for athletes before injury, to get a baseline and then afterwards to track recovery.
It’s helpful as it clearly shows injury and recovery – helping even skeptics understand the value of time to heal.
A quick survey of local districts finds a number of schools districts with concussion plans already in place and others working toward that goal.
Until everyone gets up to speed on the new law it’s possible kids who aren’t concussed will be pulled from a game. But the aim is to protect, not penalize these athletes.
For more information on concussions and the new rules click here.
