Jenna’s Law Helps Prevent Permanent Brain Injury

As parents and former coaches for their children’s sports teams, Don Corson and Lara Johnson know the importance of safety on the field. If your child plays sports, you know that kids can get hurt.  Injuries like bruised shins or twisted ankles are painful but they heal and don’t stop kids from returning to their normal activities in time.  Unfortunately, other injuries, especially brain injuries, can be more serious. Thankfully, a law in Oregon was passed to help prevent the long-lasting effects of some head injuries.

After January 1, 2014, Jenna’s Law (Oregon Senate Bill 721) required sports leagues or non-school athletic teams to educate children over 12 and adults who are involved in their teams in recognizing and handling concussions.

Concussions Can Lead to Permanent Brain Damage

Jenna’s law is an extension of “Max’s Law,” a 2009 landmark brain injury law requiring high school athletic coaches to receive concussion training. The namesakes of the laws, Max Conradt and Jenna Sneva, sustained multiple concussions that led to lasting brain damage..

Safety should be the first priority for any coach or parent, but brain injuries can be difficult to recognize. Further, studies have shown that the effects of sustaining a second concussion before the first is allowed to heal can lead to serious, long-term brain injury. Max Conradt sustained multiple concussions and now he must live in a long-term care facility for the rest of his life.  While Max’s injury is not typical, his story shows us the importance of monitoring kids with concussions so more serious injuries are prevented.

Concussion Education and Protocols

To prevent another needless tragedy from happening, Jenna’s Law sets out specific requirements for leagues, youth sports coaches, parents and children participating in non-school athletic teams. Leagues are required to develop concussion education materials for coaches and parents. Coaches must take a free online concussion education course and follow certain protocols in the event that a concussion is suspected. These include:

• Immediately taking the player out of the game
• Getting the player checked out by an appropriate medical professional
• Not allowing that concussed player to return to play until he or she has been cleared by a medical professional

For parents and children, a separate acknowledgement that they have taken and understand the online education concussion education must be signed each year the child participates in sports teams. If the child is 12 years or older, they may sign their own acknowledgement. This approach of including everyone involved with non-school teams is intended to increase awareness of concussion dangers.

The Centers for Disease Control has developed a helpful flyer, Heads Up, which outlines signs and symptoms of sports concussions. Even though Oregon law protects child athletes, it’s up to parents and coaches to follow through. The best way to keep your children safe is to educate yourself about head injuries and how to prevent them.