An international team of researchers has developed a new open access guide to help parents and coaches identify concussions in young athletes and respond appropriately. The article, published on November 5 in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, addresses concerns that qualified athletic trainers are not always present at youth sporting events. As a result, the authors emphasize the importance of parents and coaches being able to recognize concussion symptoms and knowing how to act.
The central message from the authors is "recognize and remove." They state that evidence supports earlier recognition and removal of an athlete as being linked with a faster return to play.
Lead author Ruairi Connolly, a physiatrist at Cork University Hospital in Ireland, explained that while the guide is based on two leading scientific documents in the field, it was intentionally written in accessible language. The team gathered feedback from coaches and parents before publication to ensure clarity.
The article features a QR code linking to a two-page Concussion Recognition Tool designed for use by individuals without medical training.
Jaclyn Stephens, associate professor and occupational therapist at Colorado State University and co-author of the study, noted she is sometimes asked to assess head injuries at local sports events because people know she researches concussions. "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?"
Jennifer Wethe, former director of the Mayo Clinic Arizona Concussion Program and another co-author, recommended implementing a "safety officer model" where one parent is designated to monitor for potential concussions. "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. I see a lot of explaining away injuries unless there is something very specific to follow. Parents and coaches need a protocol, something they can go through step by step."
The research team highlighted that concussions occur across many sports beyond football—including ice hockey, biking, soccer, volleyball, cheerleading squads (according to Wethe), rugby (according to Connolly), or even during schoolyard play.
Stephens pointed out that female athletes should also be considered since some studies indicate higher rates of concussion among young women—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 recently co-chaired the Athlete Development and Sports Rehabilitation Networking Group for the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine alongside co-author Ann Guernon from Lewis University.
The guide draws upon definitions from both ACRM's standards for concussion/mild traumatic brain injury as well as recommendations from the 6th International Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport.
Other contributors include professionals from various fields such as physical therapy, medicine, neuropsychology, speech therapy: Aoife Murray, Julia Drattell, Jacob McPherson, Karen McCulloch, Quratulain Khan, Akuadasuo Ezenyilimba, Zainab Al Lawati, Will Panenka, Samir Belagaje, Tracey Wallace and Noemi Lansang.
