An international team of researchers has developed a comprehensive guide aimed at helping parents and coaches identify and manage concussions in young athletes. Published on November 5, the open-access article responds to growing concerns about the absence of qualified athletic trainers at youth sports events, emphasizing the critical role of parents and coaches in recognizing concussion symptoms and acting swiftly.
The core message of the guide is “recognize and remove,” underscoring the importance of early detection and removal of the athlete from play. According to the authors, timely intervention is linked to a faster recovery, allowing athletes to return to competition sooner. “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 Guidance for Non-Medical Personnel
Lead author Ruairi Connolly, a physiatrist at Cork University Hospital in Ireland, explained that the guide is based on two leading scientific documents but intentionally written in plain language. The team sought feedback from coaches and parents to ensure the content was understandable before publishing it in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The article also features a QR code linking to a two-page Concussion Recognition Tool, designed for use by individuals without medical training.
Jaclyn Stephens, an associate professor and occupational therapist at Colorado State University, highlighted the need for such resources. “I’m able to provide more guidance than a non-trained professional,” she said, noting that she is often asked to assess head injuries at local sports events. “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?”
Empowering Parents as Safety Officers
Jennifer Wethe, 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. Wethe emphasized the importance of having a clear protocol for parents and coaches to follow, as this can prevent injuries from being downplayed.
The researchers also pointed out that concussions occur in various sports beyond football, including ice hockey, biking, soccer, volleyball, and cheerleading. Connolly added that even simple activities, like playing in the schoolyard, can lead to concussions.
Addressing Female Athletes
Stephens stressed the importance of considering female athletes, as research indicates a higher prevalence of concussions among them, potentially 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, an associate professor of speech-language pathology at Lewis University, co-chaired the Athlete Development and Sports Rehabilitation Networking Group for the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Collaborative Effort Across Disciplines
The guide is a collaborative effort drawing on expertise from a wide range of fields, including physical therapy, medicine, neuropsychology, and speech therapy. In addition to Connolly, Guernon, Leddy, Stephens, and Wethe, the authors 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.
The article is grounded in the ACRM’s definition of concussion/mild traumatic brain injury and the 6th International Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport. By providing a practical and accessible tool, the researchers aim to equip parents and coaches with the knowledge needed to protect young athletes and ensure their swift recovery.
