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Teaming Up to Protect Young Athletes   

football player throwing ball New Partnership to Help Washington State Coaches Recognize and Respond to Concussions

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is teaming up with the Seattle Seahawks and the Brain Injury Association of Washington as part of a campaign to help prevent young athletes from sustaining concussions, a serious but often underestimated health threat in the United States. Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body that can disrupt the way the brain normally works. As many as 3.8 million sports- and recreation-related concussions occur annually in the United States.

Coaches and parents:
If you suspect a concussion, you should:
  • Remove the athlete from play.
     
  • Ensure the athlete is evaluated immediately by an appropriate health care professional.
     
  • Allow the athlete to return to play only with permission from a health care professional with experience in evaluating concussions.

The campaign, “Washington Heads Up: Concussion in Sports,” is an expansion of CDC’s “Heads Up: Concussion in High School” and “Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports” initiatives.  It includes materials and information to help coaches identify concussions and take immediate steps to respond when one is suspected. Campaign spokesman and former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Brock Huard is featured in the campaign’s TV public service announcement, expected to air later this year.

As part of the campaign, clipboards and posters providing a comprehensive list of signs and symptoms of a concussion, as well as important steps to take when a concussion is suspected, will be mailed to every middle and high school in Washington State along with a letter from the Seattle Seahawks.

Campaign materials also emphasize the methods coaches and parents should practice to best protect athletes and prevent long-term problems:

  • Insist safety comes first.
  • Ensure athletes always wear the right protective equipment for their activity.
  • Make sure their youth sports league or administrator has a concussion action plan in place.

More Information on Concussion Prevention and Response
The following is a list of information and resources on concussion prevention and response:

Watch a Video

Listen to a Podcast


Send an eCard

 

Prevent Concussions
Prevent Concussions

 

 Prevent Head Injuries
Prevent Head Injuries
Concussion Toolkit
Concussion Toolkit		 Students Play Safe
Students Play Safe
Sports Safety
Sports Safety		 Youth Sports Safety

Youth Sports Safety

 

Download Tools and Resources

 


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Content Source: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Injury Response
Page last modified:September 15, 2008