Group issues new concussion guide for student athletes

A major national medical group Monday called on all schools to remove athletes suspected of suffering concussions from games and practices until they are checked by physicians specially trained in diagnosing such injuries.

The 22,500-member American Academy of Neurology also recommended as a further safeguard that certified athletic trainers be stationed at all sports events, including practices - a concept school officials say could be difficult to put into action.

Medical experts are expected to issue more detailed formal guidelines in 2012.

On Long Island, school officials caution that a shortage of trained specialists could make it difficult to carry out such sweeping recommendations quickly, and some state authorities question the emphasis on using athletic trainers.

Nonetheless, many expect that the recommendations of neurologists and other medical groups will eventually find their way into new statewide laws and regulations.

"We're the first line of defense," said Drew Wachtel, 26, an athletic trainer, as he watched a boys' soccer match Monday at St. Anthony's High School in South Huntington. "At some point, there will be an athletic trainer in every high school."

Long-term effects of concussions, including memory loss, are a growing issue for athletes, parents and educators.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sports-related concussions occur 3 million times annually in the United States, and are now second only to auto accidents as a cause of traumatic brain injury among people ages 15 to 24.

Concussions are most frequent in high school football, though they also occur in soccer, wrestling and other school sports. Medical experts say such injuries can be particularly harmful to girls, and to younger, middle-school students.

Under current New York State regulations, school athletes showing signs of concussion can return to play only after clearance by a district medical director - either a doctor or nurse practitioner.

Rules for private-league PAL football on the Island also ban players from returning to games without a physician's approval.

None of these rules and regulations, however, require examination by a neurologist or other brain-injury specialist. The U.S. Congress is considering some sort of national "return to play" guidelines that would apply to youth-sports concussions, and a bill on the same subject is pending in the New York State Assembly.

Jonathan Burman, a spokesman for the State Education Department, said the presence of athletic trainers at sports practices and games would be of "limited value" in cases of concussion, since such personnel are not permitted to diagnose neurological conditions.

Saul Lerner, athletic director for Bellmore-Merrick, said school districts still are seeking answers on how to deal with the issue of concussions.

Lerner himself is now arranging for a doctor to conduct a workshop on the subject for his coaches. "We're at the beginning of this, not the end or the middle," he added.

One question for schools is how to field more athletic trainers and other specialists, in an era of tight budgets.

"Financially, given the situation we're in, it's difficult to get one athletic trainer, let alone two," said Ken McCloud, who is Wyandanch's athletic director.

Pat Pizzarelli, who holds the same job in Lawrence, added that "the other problem is, some schools can't find them."