Tuesday, September 27, 2011
On Tuesday, September 27, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) and Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) announced that the CDC will move forward with forming an expert panel to establish national guidelines for pediatric traumatic brain injury and concussion.
“This is a definitive step forward” says NATA president, Marjorie J. Albohm, MS, ATC. “Many of our secondary school athletic trainers are first responders when it comes to preventing and treating concussed athletes and we know these recommendations will help ensure proper prevention and treatment. NATA has been a tireless advocate of state and national concussion legislation.”
The lawmakers were both primary sponsors of the Concussion Treatment and Care Tools (ConTACT) Act in the House and Senate, respectively. The legislation provides for national protocols to be established for managing sports-related concussions for student athletes from the 5th grade to the 12th grade. It passed the U.S. House of Representatives in September 2010.
Within the next year, the expert panel will take into consideration advice and scientific research from national experts and help define the scope of federal guidelines for student athletes. Recommendations are expected to be finalized by the fall of 2013. According to the CDC, there are between 1.6 million and 3.8 million brain injuries occurring in school sports each year and 63,000 occur in high school sports alone.
For more information please visit: http://www.pascrell.house.gov/apps/list/press/nj08_pascrell/pr09272011.shtml
“This is a definitive step forward” says NATA president, Marjorie J. Albohm, MS, ATC. “Many of our secondary school athletic trainers are first responders when it comes to preventing and treating concussed athletes and we know these recommendations will help ensure proper prevention and treatment. NATA has been a tireless advocate of state and national concussion legislation.”
The lawmakers were both primary sponsors of the Concussion Treatment and Care Tools (ConTACT) Act in the House and Senate, respectively. The legislation provides for national protocols to be established for managing sports-related concussions for student athletes from the 5th grade to the 12th grade. It passed the U.S. House of Representatives in September 2010.
Within the next year, the expert panel will take into consideration advice and scientific research from national experts and help define the scope of federal guidelines for student athletes. Recommendations are expected to be finalized by the fall of 2013. According to the CDC, there are between 1.6 million and 3.8 million brain injuries occurring in school sports each year and 63,000 occur in high school sports alone.
For more information please visit: http://www.pascrell.house.gov/apps/list/press/nj08_pascrell/pr09272011.shtml