An international group of researchers has developed a user-friendly guide aimed at helping parents and coaches identify and respond to concussions in young athletes. Published on November 5, the open-access journal article addresses the gap in qualified athletic trainers at youth sporting events, emphasizing the need for coaches and parents to recognize concussion symptoms and take appropriate action.
The core message of the guide is “recognize and remove.” According to the authors, early identification and removal of an athlete showing concussion symptoms can lead to a quicker recovery and return to play.
“So if you’re telling parents that you can reduce your child’s recovery time by half, that’s probably pretty good motivation to remove them and get them into a health care provider as quick as possible,” said co-author John Leddy, a sports medicine physician at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo.
Accessible Language and Practical Tools
Lead author Ruairi Connolly, a physiatrist at Cork University Hospital in Ireland, explained that the guide is based on two leading scientific documents in the field but is written in accessible language. The team sought feedback from coaches and parents to ensure clarity before publishing in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The article includes a QR code linking to a two-page Concussion Recognition Tool designed for non-medically trained individuals.
Jaclyn Stephens, an associate professor and occupational therapist at Colorado State University, highlighted the importance of empowering parents and coaches.
“I’m able to provide more guidance than a non-trained professional,” she said. “But as an OT, I cannot diagnose concussions. And what happens when somebody like me is not at this game? How do we help parents and coaches feel more prepared and educated on what to do?”
Implementing a “Safety Officer” Model
Jennifer Wethe, a co-author and former director of the Mayo Clinic Arizona Concussion Program, proposed a “safety officer model” where a designated parent is trained to recognize concussion symptoms.
“Coaches are very busy. Getting this into the hands of motivated parents is how I think this information can make it to the grassroots level,” she said. “Don’t underestimate the power of highly motivated parents who are concerned about something like this.”
The researchers stress that concussions can occur in various sports beyond football, including ice hockey, biking, soccer, volleyball, and cheerleading. Connolly noted that even simple activities like playing in a schoolyard can pose risks.
Concussions in Female Athletes
Stephens emphasized the need to consider young female athletes, pointing to studies suggesting a higher prevalence of concussions among them, possibly due to differences in neck muscle strength.
“If we only think about concussion as a professional football problem, we’re failing to consider female athletes,” she said.
Stephens and co-author Ann Guernon recently co-chaired the Athlete Development and Sports Rehabilitation Networking Group for the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM). The article draws on the ACRM’s definition of concussion/mild traumatic brain injury and the 6th International Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport.
Multidisciplinary Approach
The research team comprises experts from diverse fields, including physical therapists, medical doctors, neuropsychologists, and speech therapists. Contributors include Aoife Murray, Julia Drattell, Jacob McPherson, Karen McCulloch, Quratulain Khan, Akuadasuo Ezenyilimba, Zainab Al Lawati, Will Panenka, Samir Belagaje, Tracey Wallace, and Noemi Lansang.
This collaborative effort represents a significant step in equipping parents and coaches with the knowledge to safeguard young athletes. As the guide gains traction, it could lead to more informed decisions at the grassroots level of youth sports, potentially reducing the long-term impact of concussions.