Published: Dec. 19, 2013
By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News Sports Editor
According to one area athletic trainer, society still
believes a head injury is just “getting their bell rung” and everything is OK.
“I think we’re making progress,” Kewaskum athletic trainer
Emily Mueller said about the treatment of head injuries.
“It’s just there is that stigma out there that it’s just
getting their bell rung and everyb ody’s fine,” she added. “It’s like they’re
putting blinders on. “I think the law is great because it gives us a law. It
gives us backing, but there is more education that needs to be done.”
On Friday, Gov. Scott Walker signed Bill SB 258, which
requires parents and student-athletes to review and sign concussion education
forms only once each school year. It’s a modification from a bill he signed
into law in 2012.
The major modification to the law is student-athletes and
parents had to sign those forms before each sport season for which they
participate.
“They should be doing it for every sport,” Mueller said,
adding the education should be reinforced as often as possible.
“They need to get it out of their head that it’s not just
getting their bell rung.”
The law requires all youth athletic organizations to educate
coaches, athletes and parents on the risks of concussions and head injuries and
prohibits participation in a youth activity until the athlete and parent or
guardian has returned a signed agreement sheet indicating they have reviewed
the concussion and head injury informational materials.
In addition, the law also requires immediate removal of an
individual from a youth athletic activity if symptoms indicate a possible head
injury. A person who has been removed from an athletic activity because of a
determined or suspected concussion or head injury may not participate again
until he or she is evaluated by an approved health care provider and receives
written clearance from the health care provider to return to the activity.
West Bend East and West Bend West athletic trainer Kyle
Butters didn’t have an issue with reducing the frequency of signatures with the
education form.
“It does take some of the pressure off of the sports and the
athletic program itself,” Butters said. “Even at West Bend, that’s a lot of
paperwork for them to do every single season.”
Butters believes the message is still getting through to
coaches, parents and student-athletes as there is more people willing to report
the injury, instead of having that tough guy mentality.
“I do think it’s important that they’re getting the
information out, don’t get me wrong there,” Butters said. “But I think annually
is probably plenty.”
“I think it’s the right move,” he added.
The form goes over the signs and symptoms of a concussion
and explains how a student-athlete returns to play following the injury.
While strides have been made, there is still too much that
is unknown, Butters said.
“I get questions on a daily basis,” he said. “Concussions
are manageable, as long as they’re reported.
“When it gets really dangerous is when they don’t report the
injury and they go back to the sport.”
What Butters would like to see is more support from teachers
of the student-athletes who suffer a head injury.
“(At the high school level) their brains are still
developing,” he said. “Make sure the teachers are educated and the
administrators are educated,” he added. “This studentathlete has a head injury
and not only is he out of sport, he also needs to be progressed slowly into the
classroom.
“Hopefully they can make it a slow transition where they’re
not loading the student with homework. They have to know there’s not only
physical rest, but mental rest is important as well.”
The awareness of the dangers surrounding an untreated head
injury have escalated in the last decade, even more so this summer. The NFL and
former NFL players, more than 4,000, reached a $765 million settlement after
former players sued the league over the lack of education regarding the
long-term effects of head injuries.
Last month, the NHL was sued by former players for the same
reason.
“That’s another forum as far as getting the information out,
letting the public how important resting concussions is,” Butters said.
“Looking at these professional sports, look at the long-term
ramifications for these athletes,” he added. “Hope it’s a role model for them.
You only have one brain.”
No comments:
Post a Comment