By State Senator Robert F. Deuell and State Representative Four Price

In Texas and across the country, the number of sports-related concussions in young athletes is on the rise.  Nationwide, concussions are alarmingly commonplace, particularly among students participating in aggressive sports.  Pediatrics, a medical journal, reports that from 1997 to 2007, emergency room visits for concussions (brain injuries) sustained by middle school and high school athletes had increased by more than 200%.  High school football players alone sustain 100,000 diagnosed concussions every year.  And guaranteeing girls equal access to sports has also guaranteed them equal access to injuries like concussions.   The truth is, we simply don't know how many mild concussions get passed off as a little bump or are ignored by players who are anxious to get back in the game.  The amount of information available on the causes and treatment of concussions has grown rapidly in the last several years.  We know that when two skulls collide - or when the skull hits a stationary object, like the ground - the deceleration is sudden; however, the brain stays in motion for an instant, moving through the small intracranial space until it collides with the opposite side of the skull.  Studies say that the best-case scenario in a concussion is that brain tissue compresses into the skull - not once, but twice, as it rebounds - begins swelling, and the shearing force of the energy in the brain damages the cells, disrupting nerve signals.  The worst-case scenario is that blood vessels are ruptured and the brain starts to bleed, which can be fatal. Young people stand to suffer the most from neurological damage.  Their immature brains are still developing, which makes them more susceptible to brain damage and more likely to suffer repetitive injury.  The cell damage from a concussion temporarily interrupts brain activity at a minimum, and may harm long-term cognitive development.  Concussion symptoms may include dizziness, nausea, confusion, slurred speech and memory problems. In May 2010, the U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report on concussions in high school sports that said concussive injuries may be underreported because athletes don't want to be removed from games.  That's why we filed SB 835 and HB 2038, legislation that sets minimum standards for concussion management in Texas schools.  These bills require public schools participating in interscholastic athletics to develop a plan for concussion safety and management and provide support for student athletes who have suffered from a concussion as they return to school and play.  Under our bills, the governing body of each school would be required to designate a concussion oversight team consisting of licensed health professionals trained in the evaluation, treatment and management of concussions who will establish a return-to-play protocol.  It sets restrictions on participation in practice or competition for any student whom a coach, athletic trainer or physician believes might have sustained a concussion.  It also defines procedures for evaluating students based on peer-reviewed scientific evidence and provides a framework for returning them safely to play.  Moreover, the legislation proposes a system of continuing education and training for members of the concussion oversight team and a method for reducing the number of concussion injuries suffered in school athletics.  Thirty states have introduced legislation addressing youth sports-related concussions including five southern "sports-minded" states like Alabama, Florida and Tennessee.  It is time for Texas to take action.  Having worked with many stakeholders to draft comprehensive legislation, we are confident our bills represent a model for others to follow.   When an athlete injures their knee or shoulder, they seek the full extent of medical attention to ensure full recovery.  Concussions can be more damaging to young athletes in both the short and the long term, but are not currently or consistently treated that way.    SB 835 and HB 2038 are key to preventing serious brain injury, and keeping our students healthy and active. Our children's health is key to their futures and to Texas' future, and we must take every step reasonably possible to protect them.

State Senator Robert F. Deuell, a family physician from Greenville, represents Texas Senate District Two, which includes Delta, Hopkins, Hunt, Rockwall, Kaufman, Fannin, Rains and Van Zandt counties, and parts of Dallas and Smith counties.  Representative Four Price, an Amarillo attorney, represents Texas House District 87, which includes Carson, Moore, Potter and Sherman counties.