COACH'S CONCUSSION RESOURCES
FACT SHEET
On May 14, 2009 the Governor of Wa
shington Christine Gregoire signed the
Zackery Lystedt
Law
.
Effective July 26, 2009,
the Lystedt Law directly affect
s youth sports and head injury
policies particularly how you, as a coach, need
to respond to player injuries. The new law
requires that:
1.
An informed consent must be signed by parents and
youth athletes acknowledging the risk of
head injury prior to practice or competition
2.
A youth athlete who is suspected of sustaining
a concussion or head injury must be removed
from play – “when in doubt, sit them out”
3.
A youth athlete who has
been removed from play
must receive written clearance from a
licensed health care provider
prior to returning to play
THE FACTS
•
A concussion is a
brain injury
.
•
All concussions are
serious
.
•
Concussions can occur
without
loss of consciousness.
•
Concussions can occur
in any sport
.
•
Recognition and proper management
of concussions when they
first
occur
can help prevent further injury or even death.
WHAT IS A CONCUSSION?
A concussion is an injury that changes how the ce
lls in the brain normally work. A concussion is
caused by a blow to the head or body that causes
the brain to move rapidly inside the skull. Even
a “ding,” “getting your bell rung,” or what seem
s to be a mild bump or blow to the head can be
serious. Concussions can also result from a fall or
from players colliding
with each other or with
obstacles, such as a goalpost, even if they do not directly hit their head.
The potential for concussions is greatest in athl
etic environments where collisions are common.
Concussions can occur, however, in
any
organized or unorganized sport or recreational activity.
As many as 3.8 million sports and recreation-rela
ted concussions occur in the United States each
year.
RECOGNIZING A POSSIBLE CONCUSSION
To help recognize a concussion, you should wa
tch for the following two things among your
athletes:
1.
A forceful blow to the head or body that re
sults in rapid movement of the head.
-and-
2.
Any change
in the athlete’s behavior, thinking, or
physical functioning. (See the signs and
symptoms of concussion.)
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
SIGNS OBSERVED BY COACHING STAFF
•
Appears dazed or stunned
•
Is confused about assignment or position
•
Forgets sports plays
•
Is unsure of game, score, or opponent
•
Moves clumsily
•
Answers questions slowly
•
Loses consciousness (even briefly)
•
Shows behavior or personality changes
•
Can’t recall events prior to hit or fall
•
Can’t recall events after hit or fall
SYMPTOMS REPORTED BY ATHLETE
•
Headache or “pressure” in head
•
Nausea or vomiting
•
Balance problems or dizziness
•
Double or blurry vision
•
Sensitivity to light
•
Sensitivity to noise
•
Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy
•
Concentration or memory problems
•
Confusion
•
Does not “feel right”
Adapted from Lovell et al. 2004
Athletes who experience any of these signs or
symptoms after a bump or
blow to the head
should be kept from play until given
permission to return to play by a
health care
professional
(see Licensed Health Care Provided list
below) with experienc
e in evaluating for
concussions. Signs and symptoms of concussion can last from several minut
es to days, weeks,
months, or even longer in some cases.
Remember, you can’t see a concussion and some
athletes may not ex
perience and/or report
symptoms until hours or days after t
he injury. If you have any susp
icion that your
athlete has a
concussion, you should keep the athl
ete out of the game or practice.