- New guidelines released by the Australian Institute of Sport this week
- The impact of head injuries is a concern for many parents and athletes
- ‘Concussion Officers’ also wanted to ensure that protocols are followed
Aussie children involved in community sports such as rugby league, rugby union and football this year will be sidelined for a minimum of three weeks if they show symptoms of concussion.
It is part of new guidelines released by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) as concerns remain about the consequences of head injuries.
The guidelines state that children and adults playing community sport should be given a mandatory three-week break if they suffer a concussion.
They must also be free of complaints for at least two weeks before they can start training and playing matches again.
In addition, the document also calls on clubs and schools to appoint ‘concussion officers’ to ensure head injury protocols are closely followed by teams.
Children involved in community sport across Australia this year will be sidelined for a minimum of three weeks if they show symptoms of concussion (stock image)
It is part of new guidelines released this week by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) as concerns remain about the impact of head injuries (stock image)
The guidelines also state that children should be symptom-free for at least two weeks before returning from a concussion
Former AFL player Michael Tuck suffered repeated head impacts during his career – subsequently taking his own life at the age of 38
The AIS continued to tell the story Nine news the new withdrawal periods are longer than those in professional sports, due to the relative lack of access to medical care at the grassroots.
“It is important to treat all cases of concussion with caution,” AIS chief medical officer Dr David Hughes said.
‘A conservative management approach is needed for people under 19 years of age who have growing brains and are at risk of longer recovery times, as well as for community sport where advanced healthcare support is often unavailable.’
Dr. Corey Cunningham, president of the Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians (ASCEP), emphasized that concussion is a “brain injury, so it must be treated appropriately.”
In recent years, the deaths of sports stars Danny Frawley, Paul Green, Steve Folkes and Shane Tuck have put chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in the spotlight.
CTE is a degenerative brain disease associated with repeated blows to the head, with the quartet all receiving the same diagnosis.
Dr. Hughes added that it is crucial that concussions are treated appropriately from a young age so that they do not develop into more serious problems.