• 12
  • August
    2011

Does your child or teen play a sport for school? If so, that probably brings you a great deal of joy and pride. But maybe it also leaves you feeling scared sometimes. Especially in the more high-impact sports like football and hockey, cheering for your young athlete is just as common as worrying that they might get injured.

Fortunately, the Alabama school systems will now have your back. Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has signed a bill into law that aims to prevent the long-term and most serious effects of brain injuries. It isn't uncommon for athletes to sustain concussions on the field or the ice, which is why it was so crucial to ensure that proper procedure gets put in place to treat those potentially life-threatening injuries.

Brain injuries are serious no matter what age a person is, but kids and teens are especially vulnerable to the possible effects of such damage. Their brains are still developing, and they don't quite understand why they shouldn't be able to get back in the game when they want to. Remember being young? Patience probably wasn't your strong suit.

If a young player with a brain injury gets back into a game too soon, he or she can wind up getting hurt again and suffering even more brain damage than before. The long-term effects of improperly treated concussions can truly change the norm of a victim's life. No sporting event is worth that.

The legislation that Gov. Bentley approved this week requires all athletic groups among schools to educate their players and their families about concussions: the risks, symptoms, etc. The law requires coaches to work with thorough knowledge of brain injuries, as well. The other extremely important aspect of the legislation is that if there is any suspicion that a young player might have sustained a concussion, he or she must not be allowed to return to play until a physician confirms that the player is healthy.

What do you think about the new Alabama law? Do you think schools need to be more careful with their young athletes regarding sports-related brain injuries?

Source

Wsfa.com: "Gov. Bentley signs Ala. concussion law," John Shyrock, Aug. 11, 2011