Guest Columnist
by
Kristine Schimek, Child Life Specialist, SAFE KIDS Coordinator
and
Michele Wiedrich, Athletic Training Coordinator
Teaming up to keep players safe
Put your sports cap on and answer this question: Do you think a concussion can occur only if a player passes out? In fact, fewer than 10 percent of concussions result in a loss of consciousness, making concussions difficult to recognize. And because they can be difficult to recognize, they often go unreported to coaches, parents and medical staff. The result can be deadly. Studies indicate players who return to the action too soon run an increased risk for a second, more severe concussion, and in rare instances, death.
Concussions – also called traumatic brain injury – happen more often than we realize, particularly in high-impact sports such as football, soccer, hockey and wrestling. An estimated 300,000 sports-related concussions occur annually.
So what's MeritCare doing to slow this "silent epidemic"? In recent years, we've pursued a multi-pronged approach, including the use of computerized testing equipment to help diagnose, treat and manage sports-related concussions. A grant from MeritCare Foundation made the equipment purchase possible. Now FM Area SAFE KIDS and MeritCare Sports Medicine have teamed up to take another step: increased concussion awareness among people who work with the athletes.
Through a $1,000 grant from National SAFE KIDS and the National Athletic Trainers Association, we have developed a handy, pocket-sized, laminated informational card to help coaches, athletic directors and athletic trainers identify concussions. Approximately 3,000 of these easy-to-use cards have been distributed throughout North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Print your own copy of the concussion card (PDF) by clicking on the icon below.
Concussion
Card
Your donations to Childrens Miracle Network enable MeritCare Children's Hospital to lead the Fargo-Moorhead Area SAFE KIDS Coalition. This coalition includes area agencies working together to reduce unintentional injuries in children throughout the region.
We have also developed an educational display board for use at various events throughout the state and offer speakers who will come and talk to your group. Our goal is to ensure concussions are identified, then managed properly. We want to keep players in the game – safely.
If you have any questions about this program or sports-related concussions, please call us at (701) 234-7902 or (800) 437-4010 ext. 7902.
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