Concussion Crackdown Passes Council Committees
CHICAGO (STMW) - Chicago public and private school student-athletes who exhibit "signs, symptoms or behaviors" tied to concussion would be yanked off the field and barred from returning without written medical clearance, under a crackdown advanced Wednesday.
The City Council's Finance and Education committees agreed to use school exemptions from water and sewer fees as a hammer to enforce the anti-concussion crackdown.
Schools that allow injured athletes to return to the field prematurely — either to practice or participate in games — would lose their exemptions, under the ordinance championed by Finance Chairman Edward M. Burke (14th) and Education Committee Chairman Latasha Thomas (17th).
Burke acknowledged that it would be up to student administrators and athletic trainers to enforce the ordinance, adding, "There are not gonna be inspectors out there examining it."
He added, "The most important part of this is public education ... to persuade parents that putting their kid back in the game after a head injury is a recipe for disaster. We understand the competitive nature of sports and how parents want their children to be competitive. But, there has to be some caution."
Most of the recent attention about concussions in professional and amateur sports have centered around football-related injuries.
But aldermen heard some surprising testimony to the contrary during Wednesday's two-hour hearing.
Dr. Hunt Batjer, chairman of Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Department of Neurological Surgery, said women's hockey and women's soccer actually pose the greatest risk of concussion. Men's football ranks third, he said.
Calling the crackdown "such an important ordinance" and "what we can do for the kids," Batjer said, "It gets the concussed student off the field who may have a risk of injury."
Dr. Calvin Davis, director of sports administration for the Chicago Public Schools, testified in favor of the ordinance, which mirrors IHSA rules.
So did Chris Nowinski, co-founder of the Sports Legacy Institute. Nowinski sustained a concussion during his career as a professional wrestler. But, he argued that concussions are far more dangerous for children, who often take longer to recover.
"Have you ever heard of trying to learn Algebra with post-concussions syndrome?" Nowinski said.
The ordinance would apply to both practices and school-sanctioned athletic events in public and private elementary, middle- and high schools.
Injured students "may not return to play" before being evaluated by and receiving written authorization from "a health care professional trained in the evaluation and management of concussion," the ordinance states.
Concussion symptoms are defined as: "loss of consciousness; headache; dizziness; confusion; problems with immediate recall; disorientation as to time, place or person; fatigue, blurred vision or balance problems."
If no health care professionals are immediately available and student athletes display any of those symptoms, they "shall be promptly taken to a facility for appropriate care," the ordinance states.
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