Concussion prevention is an important sports issue that may not get the attention it needs.

That’s why the Porcupine Health Unit is hosting Stay Ahead of the Game– an information session on concussions that will feature two guest speakers, each with in-depth knowledge on the subject.

Dr. Charles Tator is one of Canada’s leading neurosurgeons and a concussion expert. He’ll be talking about how an athlete can get a concussion, the symptoms, and the myths and misconceptions attached to the injury.

Tator says it’s important for concussions to be reported and for someone with a possible concussion to seek medical treatment. He says, while it’s a serious injury, most people do recover over time.

“The good news is,” Dr. Tator said, “most people do recover over time. But it’s important for everybody to know what the principles of management are. And also, how to prevent concussions. We want to emphasize the importance of preventing this from happening. Because they can […] last a long time.”

Dr. Tator says there are significant consequences for concussions, and the story of the second guest speakers, Gordon and Kathleen Stringer, parents of Rowan Stringer and advocates for Rowan’s Law, highlights those consequences and their efforts to prevent and reduce concussion in sports.

Rowan Stringer died at the age of 17 in May, 2013, after suffering what proved to be a fatal concussion at a high school rugby game in Ottawa. It was her second concussion within a week. Rowan’s death shined a harsh light on youth sport concussion protocols in Canada, and eventually Rowan’s Law was established, an act governing the management of youth concussions in all sports in Ontario.

“That’s been a very good thing,” said Dr. Tator, “brought about, to a large measure, by the fact that her parents, Gordon and Kathleen Stringer, were so public about it. They were able to tell the story of their daughter who got these concussions and ultimately died of it. And because of their efforts, we now have […] concussion legislation that is designed to prevent this from happening to other young people.”

According to Dr. Tator, there are 65 symptoms of concussions.

“The commonest ones are headache, dizziness, nausea, difficulty concentrating, difficulty with bright lights, difficulty with noise, memory. So all of these amount to a significant health care problem for the individual.”

He says if there isn’t a resolution or recovery within the first month, athletes can get post-concussion syndrome.

“[It’s] where the symptoms just don’t go away,” Dr. Tator says, “and they affect your ability to go back to school, go back to work, go back to play if you’re an athlete.”

Concussions weren’t always given the attention they’re getting now. It used to be thought that a concussion wasn’t even a brain injury. Now we know that it is. Dr. Tator says it’s important that people are warned about the effects of repeated concussions, as there are more long-term consequences that can happen, including degeneration of the brain that can happen decades later.

And according to Dr. Tator, the symptoms of concussion are not just physical.

“The mental health issues are very important. Some people have significant depression and anxiety after concussion, and there are ways of treating that. It’s important for people to know that these can be treated.”

Dr. Tator says this shouldn’t deter young people from enjoying sports.

“I was a big sports enthusiast,” he said, “and certainly enjoyed being part of a team. And playing hockey was one of the great things growing up. But hockey, on the other hand, can cause trouble. And some of the people who are in charge of hockey don’t take enough care to prevent concussions.”

He says, while we can’t prevent all concussions in hockey, we can prevent the majority of them by “taking back the game”.

“I think hockey can be saved,” Dr. Tator said, “We can make the games safer without detracting from the enjoyment of the game. […] It’s a very exciting game. But we don’t need elbows to the head that knock people out. We don’t need shoulder pads to the head. […] The game needs to be played more safely.”

He says parents might not want their kids to play hockey if they know that the game could cause an injury that could cause kids to have memory impairment, anxiety, depression, confusion, and could result in kids dropping out of school if the symptoms are severe enough.

The event on Thursday, November 29th at the Porcupine Health Unit, will focus on recognizing a concussion and how it’s everybody’s job, including parents, coaches, athletes and even referees, to learn about concussion, the symptoms and causes.

“Everybody has to be on the concussion prevention team,” said Dr. Tator.

The Porcupine Health Unit is hosting Stay Ahead of the Game, an information session about concussions and their negative impacts, on Thursday, November 29th at 6:30 PM at the McIntyre Ballroom.

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