Doctors say Wright cleared for trial
September 10, 2013‘Swamp People’ stars call foul on battery arrest
September 10, 2013It’s the 10-letter, three-syllable word that has taken the sports world by storm in recent years: concussion.
In an effort to raise awareness of the dangers of this brain-based injury, two local hospitals are teaming up to host a pair of programs in the Tri-parish area.
Terrebonne General Medical Center and Thibodaux Regional Medical Center will sponsor the Heads Up! Concussion in Youth Sports Program, which will take place in both Houma and Thibodaux in the coming weeks.
The Houma program will take place Thursday from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center.
The Thibodaux event will be on Oct. 3 at the Harang Auditorium.
Both programs are in conjunction with Louisiana’s Youth Concussion Act No. 314, which was passed in the Legislature in 2011.
In it, communities are required to create concussion awareness education programs for all people involved in youth sports.
“What we’re doing is we’re just trying to educate as many people as we can about this,” said Earl Eues, Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government Emergency Response Director and also the chairman of the Louisiana Emergency Response Network Region 3 commission. “We’re hoping to have about 300 people to attend so that we can really let people know about this because concussions are a serious injury. The more you know as a coach or a parent could make the difference in any particular instance.”
Eues said the two meetings would be multi-purposed.
The first is to inform both parents and sports participants about the definition of a concussion – an ailment that doctors typically describe as a bruising of the brain. Concussions are most commonly linked to football. But Eues said he wants parents of baseball players, cheerleaders and soccer players to also consider attending.
Symptoms of concussions start as light to mild headaches or sensitivity to bright light. But if severe or if multiple blows occur in the same individual, severe memory loss or even death can occur.
“It’s not just football and it’s not just males,” Eues said. “We want our cheerleaders to come out, too. Young men and women of all ages are welcome. Athletes in any contact sport can deal with concussions.”
Eues said the second purpose of the program is to inform parents, coaches and athletes of the symptoms of the ailment.
In a joint release issued by both TGMC and TRMC, medical professionals said that people should know that:
• Most concussions occur without any loss of consciousness
• Athletes who have, at any point in their lives, had a concussion are at an increased risk for another concussion
• Young children and teens are more likely to get a concussion and take longer to recover from one than adults
• In rare cases, repeat concussions in young athletes can result in brain swelling or permanent brain damage
• Concussions can be fatal
The Emergency Nursing Association, Louisiana Council and the Louisiana Emergency Response Network have joined forces with the two hospitals and also Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government in this effort.
A presentation will be made to those in attendance and a physician panel and discussion will take place following the presentation.
Eues said the Thibodaux presentation on Oct. 3 will just be a repeat of the one set for Houma tomorrow.
