Under-reporting of concussion among teenagers a wake-up call on need for national strategy – Richmond

A new study showing under-reporting of concussion among teenagers must act as a wake-up call on the need for a National Concussion Strategy, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Senator Neale Richmond said: “A new study by DCU researchers found under-reporting of suspected concussion by teenage GAA players despite players and their parents having a good knowledge of the symptoms of concussion.

“Worryingly the study found that teenagers were less likely to report a concussion during an important match or in the lead up to a big match.

“This research shows that we need to reassess how we are dealing with the issue of concussion injury in sport and if we are doing enough to protect our players, especially our young players.

“With the Rugby World Cup and Ireland’s bid to qualify for Euro2020 ongoing there is huge focus at the moment on sport across the country, a reminder that we need to do everything we can to promote sports and protect our athletes at all ages and levels.

“I have previously called for the Department of Sport to consider a National Concussion Strategy to ensure that we have a co-ordinated response to education and awareness of this important issue that affects all sports.

“This is something that we need in order to build on the good work of sporting organisations, including the GAA and the IRFU, to promote concussion awareness.

“Education will help ensure that children learn from a young age that it is absolutely fine to sit out a match or matches if they need to. Clearly this new evidence shows that we need a cultural change in sport to ingrain this attitude in players, coaches and parents.

“No match or sporting event is worth putting our health at risk for and young players must feel empowered to speak up if they suspect they may have sustained a concussion. This will allow them to properly recover and avoid taking the risk of second impact concussion – where a second trauma occurs before there is time to recover from the first.

“The symptoms of concussion should be recognisable to all players, referees and coaches of all sports in Ireland but there also needs to be a comprehensive understanding of what the next steps are and the need to follow a recovery plan.

“With a co-ordinated strategy we can ensure that this twin track awareness of how to identify a suspected concussion and how to respond is effectively delivered to all those who are involved in sport,” Senator Richmond concluded.