Student Athlete Appeals to Committee About Concussion Caused Problems: What That Means for Athletic Youth in KS and MO

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Student Athlete Appeals to Committee About Concussion Caused Problems: What That Means for Athletic Youth in KS and MO

Brain or Spinal Cord Injury

12/27/2011
Victor Finkelstein
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Student Athlete Appeals to Committee About Concussion Caused Problems: What That Means for Athletic Youth in KS and MO

This particular hearing was mostly about how concussions affect student athletes in the classroom and especially how female student are affected. Studies have shown that female athletes may be affected more easily by concussions and they are “just as likely” as male athletes to lie about their condition so that they can get back to playing sports.
Sarah Rainey was a 14 year-old soccer player when she was knocked unconscious during a game. After regaining consciousness, she took a sip of water and rejoined the game. Rainey has no memory of the rest of the game, which includes two overtimes.
She went before the House Committee on Education and Labor to tell them about how her day to day life has suffered to do a concussion. Sarah explained how she has to use a calculator to do simple mathematical equations when she didn’t have to do that before and how it takes her three times longer to do anything.
Rainey often deals with head aches and, even when that isn’t an issue, has to deal with constant pressure in her head as if she is wearing a compression headband. She has not played since that game and often has to go to the nurse’s office during classes to sleep. Although she knew that she would have to be sidelined for a while, she didn’t expect it to go on for so long.
Sarah Rainey feels that the C.D.C.’s slogan, “It’s better to miss one game than a whole season.”, minimizes the seriousness of the affect that concussions can have on students.
Hearings before this one concentrating on what doctors and coaches had to say about concussions management in football and more concussion education. Some legislation has been passed and some bills are being considered.
Michele Pelton, a former high school student who had suffered a concussion her senior year explained how, instead of enjoying the normal senior activities, she stayed home because of constant pain and depression. Her life became a blur. She suffers from memory loss, difficultly concentrating, slow processing speed, cognitive effects, and depression. For Pelton, every day is a battle. In attending the hearing, she hopes to help keep others from having to live the way she lives.
Before this hearing, most discussion concentrated on keeping athletes safe from suffering a concussion while on the field. This hearing, instead, focused on managing concussions in the classroom. It is important to educate teachers, as well as coaches, about the signs of a concussion; listlessness, headaches, dizziness and being unresponsive. These issues should be noticed and addressed by teachers. Students spend more time in the classroom than they do on the field and how much they can tolerate in the classroom should be respected by teachers.
There are hopes that more money can be given to each state so that they can better educate teachers, coaches, parents, and young athletes about the affects of concussions and what to do.
If your student athlete has suffered from a concussion during a game, the Kansas City Accident Injury Attorney’s experience brain injury and spinal injury lawyers may be able to help. Fill out the “Just Ask” form online for more information or call 816-471-5111 for a free consultation.
The Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys can also be found on twitter and facebook.

Labels: athlete injury athletic youth brain injury brain injury attorneys in kansas brain injury attorneys in missouri concussion concussion in youth athletes youth athlete

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