Parents and coaches are becoming increasingly concerned regarding the safety of our kids while on the playing field. Concussions in youth sports are a hot topic and everyone seems to be interested in learning more to improve the safety of youth sports.
With that in mind I did some research regarding youth sports and concussion information and these are the top five websites that I recommend to get your questions answered.
1.CDC- Heads Up Youth Sports Concussion – The actual URL is www.cdc.gov/concussioninyouthsports. I like this website because it offers printable fact sheets for athletes, parents and coaches. You can print them off and put them in your wallet or purse so you have something to refer to quickly in the event that the unthinkable happens.
2. Mom’s Team – www.momsteam.com – This website has a whole page dedicated to youth concussions and they have been providing tips and research since 2000. Mom’s Team offers the latest in news and development regarding concussions and also has information regarding the best safety equipment to prevent concussions.
3. Mayo Clinic– www.mayoclinic.com – The links on this page will take you right to the concussion information, but you may have to do a little searching on this site to get the information you are looking for. The mayo clinic is typically on the leading edge of medical research which is why I listed this as another valuable site for information regarding concussions.
4. Live Strong – www.livestrong.org– Another site with a lot information and valuable articles and tips. You have to go to the site and search concussion, but there is a multitude of information once you get to the right place.
5. USA Football – www.usafootball.com – This site discusses the new concussion laws in all fifty states and gives you a break down of the particulars of the laws in your state.
For more information you can also start searching at the local level. Many youth sports programs are beginning to have trainings and informational sessions regarding concussion information. Please check back in with Mother and Son Sports as I will continue to update the site with the latest information on Concussions and how to keep our kids safe.
by Stacey Atkinson