AIS recommends new concussion advice for kids

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The Australian Institute of Sport's new universal guidelines on concussion recommends all children sit-out sport for at least 21 days after a head knock. The advice for grassroots and professional sports is being broadly welcomed.

Transcript

00:00 17-year-old Brianna Wong knows all about concussions.

00:05 I had symptoms for about a week and a bit, which was blurred vision, I had migraines,

00:12 it was pretty bad.

00:15 Under new Institute of Sport guidelines, if she was concussed again, she'd have to sit

00:19 out her sport for at least three weeks and be free of symptoms for two weeks before she

00:25 could start contact training.

00:27 I think it's an amazing idea. With this now, you have a structure to follow and you know

00:32 how long you're going to be out for, you know what the protocol is when it happens.

00:36 We're unashamed in having a real focus on youth and community sport because that's where

00:40 there's an absence of health care practitioners, that's where 95% of concussions happen.

00:45 The AIS developed the guidelines with colleagues in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

00:50 The best way to protect the health and wellbeing of athletes at the youth and community level

00:56 is to have one set of guidelines that everybody follows so there's no confusion or disagreement.

01:01 But there are concerns players may not report their concussions.

01:04 If I report this then it's probably going to mean that I'm 21 days out of playing, then

01:10 they may or may not be likely to report it.

01:13 Brianna's father Terry would have the job of explaining the guidelines to more than

01:17 100 coaches at his local club.

01:20 It does come down to education. I think most of our coaches and managers want to make sure

01:24 that their players' welfare is at the forefront.

01:27 The AIS has also recommended professional athletes not return to contact sport until

01:32 they've been free of concussion symptoms for at least 10 days.

01:36 That would be a big extension on the current guidelines for the country's biggest football

01:40 codes, Rugby League and Australian Rules.

01:43 A spokesman for the Australian Rugby League Commission told the ABC it's reviewing the

01:46 Institute of Sports Guidelines to see how they could apply to Rugby League.

01:51 While the AFL is also reviewing its current concussion guidelines ahead of the 2024 season.

01:55 (pop)

01:56 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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