Durbin: We Must Step Up Our Game To Protect Student Athletes From Concussion Risks
Senator has authored legislation that would strengthen procedures for preventing, detecting and treating concussions in K-12 athletes
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – In anticipation of the White House Healthy Kids and Safe Sports Concussion Summit being held later this week, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) wrote President Obama today to seek support in promoting a strict “when in doubt, sit it out” concussion policy for young athletes as recommended by… On Thursday, President Obama will be joined by athletes, parents, coaches, members of the military, and medical professionals at the White House to discuss the risk concussions pose to young athletes.
Last year, Durbin introduced the Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act to raise awareness of the danger of concussions among student athletes. The legislation – which is supported by six national professional and collegiate sports organizations – institutes a “when in doubt, sit out” policy and asks schools to notify a student’s parents of an injury and obtain a written release from a health care professional before the student may return to play.
“Youth sports are a great way for students to stay healthy while learning important team-building skills. However, some students stay in the game not recognizing the risks of playing hurt, especially when they’ve had a concussion. Injuries may be a part of all sports, but as we learn more about the long term effects of concussions and how frequently they are ignored, it is clear we have to step up our game to confront this national health risk,” Durbin wrote.
“I applaud the goals of the White House Healthy Kids and Safe Concussion Summit and hope that a strict “when in doubt, sit it out” policy will be promoted to address the dangers of concussions in youth sports.”
Concussions among young athletes are a growing problem. Recent studies have found that young athletes are at greater risk of sports-related concussions than college or professional athletes because their brains are more susceptible to injury. Over the last decade, emergency room visits for sports- and recreation-related traumatic brain injuries among children and adolescents increased by 60%. A recent study on concussions in youth sports found that young athletes don’t always report when they might have a concussion because our culture encourages them not to.
In February, Durbin urged the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to implement a concussion safety and management plan for its 1,281 member institutions that includes a strict “when in doubt, sit it out” policy, which the NCAA has supported for high schools. This policy requires students suspected of sustaining a concussion to end their participation in the athletic event for the remainder of the day. Such a policy was recommended by a panel of team physicians convened by the American College of Sports Medicine in 2011.
The Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act is supported by the NCAA, the National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL), the National Basketball Association (NBA) United States Soccer Federation, USA Football, National Council of Youth Sports, the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National PTA, the American Academy of Neurology, Easter Seals, The Arc, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, the Korey Stringer Institute, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Learning Disabilities Association of America, and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN).
Today’s letters are included below:
May 28, 2014
The Honorable Barack Obama
President
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama:
Thank you for your attention to the important issue of safety in youth sports. By hosting the White House Healthy Kids and Safe Sports Concussion Summit, you will help elevate the important national discussion on concussion management and sports safety. In advance of the event, I wanted to ask for your support in promoting a strict “when in doubt, sit it out” policy for our young athletes and urge all participants to do the same.
Last fall, I introduced the Protecting Students from Concussions Act (S. 1546), which would encourage states to develop concussion safety plans for public schools that include a concussion safety awareness component and the adoption of a strict “when in doubt, sit it out” policy. This policy requires a student suspected of sustaining a concussion during a school-sponsored athletic activity to be removed from participation, prohibited from returning to play that day, and evaluated by a health care professional before returning to play in future events. This strict “when in doubt, sit it out” policy is recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Academy of Neurology.
Youth sports are a great way for students to stay healthy while learning important team-building skills. However, some students stay in the game not recognizing the risks of playing hurt, especially when they’ve had a concussion. Injuries may be a part of all sports, but as we learn more about the long term effects of concussions and how frequently they are ignored, it is clear we have to step up our game to confront this national health risk.
According to a study by the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council on concussions in youth sports, young athletes in the United States face a culture of resistance to reporting when they might have a concussion, which could endanger their long term health and well-being. Many athletes also do not know the signs and symptoms of concussion, which may cause many concussions to go undetected. A 2010 Government Accountability Office study found many sports-related concussions go unreported. The risk only increases for athletes who continue to play while concussed. They are at increased risk for catastrophic injury if they sustain another concussion before recovering from the first one. This second injury can cause symptoms that can last for months and can even be fatal.
With risks like these, we can’t afford to take any chances. A cautious approach, like the “when in doubt, sit it out” policy is the responsible decision for youth sports leagues, school districts, and even the NCAA to adopt to best protect students and athletes. I applaud the goals of the White House Healthy Kids and Safe Concussion Summit and hope that a strict “when in doubt, sit it out” policy will be promoted to address the dangers of concussions in youth sports.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator