Youth Sports Concussion

Check out this new video describing Colorado's unique multi-disciplinary approach to concussion management for school-aged youth. Thanks to the Colorado TBI Trust Fund for funding this great video!

The decision for a parent to allow their child to play a sport is an important decision, and the results could have an impact on the rest of the child's life. Participating in a team or competitive individual sport can provide the child with goals, finding ways to achieve goals, working with others and other life lessons that will serve them in their later lives.

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• ACTive Athletic Concussion Training for Coaches offered by the Oregon Center for Applied Science, with funding from the National Institutes of Health.
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports is a free, online course available to coaches, parents, and others helping to keep athletes safe from concussion. Several sport-specific websites link to this course such as USA Rugby.
• National Federation of High School Associations 'Concussion in Sports - What You Need To Know' National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have teamed up to provide information and resources to help educate coaches, officials, parents and students on the importance of proper concussion recognition and management in high school sports. Colorado High School Sports Association (CHSSA) requires their coaches to do this course.
• The National Academy of Neuropsychology Foundation (NAN) and National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) have joined forces on a national and local grassroots campaign to educate the public, athletes, health professionals, coaches, parents, administrators and others about concussion in sports Raising Concussion Awareness Educational DVD, "Concussions in Football: Signs, Symptoms and Playing Safe" which is available online.

Some scholarships are available for uninsured youth athletes seeking treatment for concussion.

Contact Linda Heesh for more information 303-355-9969

Governor Hickenlooper signs the Jake Snakenberg Youth Sports Concussion Act. Photo by Kenny Hosack.

This hard-won piece of legislation will keep our youth athletes safe for the years to come. It requires that coaches get education on how to recognize a concussion, that a player is removed from play if a concussion is suspected and that the student athlete must be signed off by a medical professional before returning to play.

This was a proud day for those of us that have spent over a year meeting with stakeholders, creating a consensus and developing language so the bill works for the Colorado youth sports community.

• Read the story in the Denver Post
• See the story on DenverBroncos.com
• See the story on 9 News
• See the story on News 4

In the Fall of 2004, Jake Snakenberg was a freshman football player at Grandview High School. He likely sustained a concussion in a game the week prior, however, he did not fully understand that he had experienced a concussion and he did not report his symptoms to anyone. One week later, Jake took a typical hit in a game, collapsed on the field and never regained consciousness. Jake passed away from "Second Impact Syndrome" on September 19, 2004.

The REAP Project is a TBI Trust Fund Education grant between Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children/Health One Emergency Departments and four school districts. The REAP Project is the culmination of a study funded by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) from 2004 to 2007. Originally, the study was designed to focus on the efficacy of a new baseline/post-concussion neurocognitive screening tool. More than one thousand student athletes at Grandview High School, in the Cherry Creek School District, were given baseline screening over three years. Ninety-two students went on to suffer at least one concussion (from sports and non-sports related activities). The researchers compared the 92 concussed students with typical peers, matched for the same sport, grade and gender. The results of the study were enlightening... the researchers found that the two most essential factors to good concussion management are: Education and Collaboration - essentially, good communication between a School Team, a Family Team and a Medical Team. As a result, the REAP Project has compiled all of the lessons learned into this manual to promote a Community-Based Approach to Concussion Management.

Ensuring player health and safety is of paramount importance for the NFL Players Association. Working to minimize player concussions, the NFLPA will continue to be influential in that critical aspect of health and safety.

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The National Federation of State High School Associations "Concussion in Sports" Course Free to Coaches, Parents, Players

The 3rd International Conference on Concussion in Sport Heldin Zurich, November 2008

Mackey White TBI Committee Addresses Brain Injuries

Mackey White TBI Committee Meets in Florida

NFLPA Medical Director Gives Remarks on TBI in NFL