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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
September 6, 2012     Shelton Mason County Journal
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September 6, 2012
 
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[] Concussions n :ed to reported for proper treatme,, t By EMILY HANSON Journal photos by Emily Hanson Shelton High School athletic trainer Kasey Robbins wraps a Highclimber's wrist during halftime on Friday. In 2006, Zachery Lyst- edt, 13, from Maple Valley, Wash., received a hard hit early in a football game. He returned to play later that same game and suffered a life-threatening brain injury. Though Lyst- edt smwived the injury and was able to walk with a cane at his 2011 high school graduation, House Bill 1824 was signed into Washington state law by Gov. Christine Gregoire on May 14, 2009. With this law in place, schools have been working toward improving how inju- ties are handled on the side- line, especially concussions. "When it first came out, we had to contact anyone us- ing our facilities and make sure they receive training in regards to concussions," North Mason Athletic Di- rector Mark Swofford said. Shelton Athletic Direc- tar Jim Judson and Mary M. Knight Athletic Director John Schultz stated they did the same at their schools. "What we do is we post literature on the district website," Judson said. "We talk about the signs and Half the Time, almost Half the Price... Now that's something to smile about: Technology that straightens "all your teeth in 3 months to about a year, for Children and adults. r FREE Consultation for I I qMay not be combined with a~y other offal) :/:'~,~:~T~ ~ "~ ~ I 426-4712 ............... , ................... i! ........... :- Cashvalue 1120¢ New patients only. Expires 9130/12 ~Y .1622_OIym__pic Hw._.y. .......... ...... Richard C. Downing, DDS • Convenient Payment Plans Available • CareOred,t Richard 12. Downing, DD$ , , 1626 Olympic Hwy N Shelton (360) 426-4712 o. www.SheltonDental.com i symptoms of concussions so coaches are getting an edu- cation." As per the requirements of the law, when an athlete receives a hard hit, they are pulled out of the game for evaluation. Shelton athletes are evaluated by their coaches on the side- line. This is also where ath- letic trainer Kasey Robbins comes in. "I'm looking for their memories before and after what happened," Robbins said. "I'm looking to see if their eyes glass over and I also look for coordination." Robbins said she asks athletes about what just happened on the field. Then she gives them three words and asks them to remember them in order. For example, she'll ask an athlete to re- member grape, purple, el- ephant. Then she'll ask oth- er questions such as: does your head hurt? What team are we playing? What's the score? "Five to 10 minutes lat- er, I ask them to tell me the three things I asked them to remember in or- der," Robbins said. "I'll ask them some more questions and then come back to those three words." During her evaluation of athletes, Robbins looks at their pupils to make sure they're equal and respon- sive. "I then look at their coor- dination," she said. "They'll stumble and I've seen kids (with concussions) walk like they're drunk." She said when athletes suffer a bad enough head injury, they'll start asking her questions, trying to fig- ure out what just happened to them or asking her for answers she's already given them. For North Mason ath- letes, coaches do the evalua- tions as well as members of Mason County Fire District 5. "North Mason does not currently have an athletic trainer," Swofford said. Every coach at North Mason, as well as Shel- ton and Mary M. Knight, must go through the online training course through the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) website. "M was pmaying college soccer and i was going after a loose ball, An opponent caught me in my temporam area was a freak thing that hit me just right." "As part of the certifica- tion process, the paid coach- es go through the WIAA clinic," Judson said. "The WIAA lets me knoW my coaches have completed the clinic." At Mary M. Knight, Schultz and his coaches are trained to check for concus- sion symptoms and athletes are evaluated by members of Mason County Fire Dis- trict 12 during football games. "There is always some, body at a game who is trained to recognize the symptoms," Schultz said. He said the main prob- lem that has arisen since the law was passed is ath- letes trying to hide what they're going through. "Over the last several .years, athletes trying to hide their symptoms has been an issue because they know they'll be out (of the game)," Schultz said. "We tell the other athletes if their friend has a concus- sion to let us know." Judson said that con- cussions are scary and the school is not messing around with them, "The onset can be de- layed, so that's why we take them out of competition for a trained medical profes- sional to evaluate," he said: Judson even has person- al experience with concus- sions. "I was playing college soccer and I was going after a loose ball," Judson said. "An opponent caught me in my temporal area. It was a freak thing that hit me just right." He said the hit caused severe trauma to his brain and swelling. In the ER, doctors had to drain cere- bral and spinal fluids from his brain. "I was unresponsive and unconscious for quite a bit of time," he said. "It was scary for my family. That's why we take it very serf- ously." To participate in high school athletics, students and their parents must sign waivers stating that they've been educated about the risks of playing and the risks of concussions. These forms are all available through the WIAA. Robbins said the range for when an athlete begins showing concussion symp- toms can vary from immedi- ately after the hit to as far away as 24 hours after the fact. "That's why diagnosing on the sideline is so difficult and a second concussion can happen," she said. "Parents need to really make sure athletes don't lie about it." She said one main dan- ger about concussions is that athletes don't rest long enough after being diagnosed. Al~er receiving a concussion, if an athlete gets hit slightly in the head and it causes a headache, Robbins said they are still suffering from the concus- sion. Once the school has de- termined an athlete has received a .concussion -- or even if a concussion is sus- pected -- that athlete is no longer cleared to play. "Athletes with concus- sions go to the Lystedt law," Swofford said. "The kid doesn't go back on the field until they're released by a doctor." Although football, boys' and girls' soccer and bas- ketball are considered the high-risk sports for concus- sions, Robbins said a brain injury can happen in any sport. Reverse Mortgage Workshop Is a reverse mortgage the right solution for you? Join our flee workshop with representative Judy Lee • . z) ~ ' ~enlor Rcvcr~,c M' rGGc Adv>ol q h.is workshop will provide a solid uudcrstanding of tt e benefits, applications and limitations of'a Reverse Mortgage. Learn about program basics, .real world applica.thms, shor :erm vs. long term goals, and exit strategies. Everything you'll need to kn.ow to make an informed decision. Please reserve your seat by /- Wed, Sept ~, caring 360-426-9701 or online at 11:30am to Shelton senior running back Thomas Gettle has his blood pressure checked by athletic trainer Kasey Robbins on Friday during halftime. Key provisions of the Lystedt Law awned play[ields must comply with ~is law, |Youth athleteswho are suspected of sustaining a concussion or he~d injury must be removed from ihy.. Symptoms of concussion "School districts work with the WIAA ta develop infarmtion and IIH~da~he o~ o feeling af pressure in the head policies o~ educating coaches, youth athletes and putouts about the IITemporary ass of cause ousnos.~ nature and risk of concussion, including ~e dongels of ietoming to nCodmion or fading as if ino fog practice ar compefttion after o coucussian ar head in ury. IIAmnesia surrounding the traumatic event BAll student u~letes and their parents/guardians sign ah information nDizziness or seei~i stars" sheet about concussion and heacl injury iriai ta the youth a~iet(s IiRingiug in the ears initiating pradice at the sturt of each season. IINausea or vomiting |Youth ath ales who have been removed from ptav roceive w~en nS ~rred s~ch medico! demnca prior ta returning to play from o licensed heatlbcm II~otigua provider imined in the evaluation and management of ¢oncussion~: IIIteck of coordination or balance | Pr vote, non-profit vOulfi sports nssoc at oi~S W~li~:to ~ pub d~, Page C-4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012