All the telltale signs of a head injury were there. He stood-up and immediately blacked out. When he came to on the sidelines, he had zero balance and felt confused. His head continued to hurt several days later. Despite wanting to play football right away, his high school coaches made him rest for two weeks.
In a report at cnbc.com, that happened to a former Louisiana high school football star that went on to play at LSU where he suffered a second concussion. Fortunately, the coaches there diagnosed his injury right away. Now in medical school, he credits his high school coaches for making him sit out for two weeks.
Now, two Louisiana lawmakers want to make sitting out periods mandatory for high school athletes who suffer head injuries. Representative Christopher Roy and Senator Sherri Smith have bills requiring players to get clearance from a medical provider before returning to action. The athletes often put pressure on themselves to get back on the field as quickly as possible.
Severe head injuries can create a lifetime of problems. High school sports are not the pinnacle of a young person’s life. Missing a few games is a small price to pay for protecting your brain and living a productive, independent life.
Harrell & Nowak, L.L.C. – New Orleans accident attorneys