By Staff
September 26th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The province of Ontario is taking action to keep Ontario’s kids safe and demonstrating its commitment to making sports safer by marking Rowan’s Concussion Law Day. The province is developing a multimedia campaign that will raise awareness about concussion safety.
It’s graphic – but the point gets made. Is this what we want to do to our kids in the name of sports.
The campaign will get concussion safety information in front of the Ontarians who need it most.
“Reducing the risk of concussions is always the goal. But concussions happen and knowing what to do – whether you’re an athlete, a parent, a coach or a teacher – can save lives,” said Sylvia Jones, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “We’ll honour Rowan Stringer’s memory by launching a province-wide multimedia campaign to raise awareness about concussion safety.”
A concussion is a head injury caused by moving forces such as a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, that results in a variety of symptoms and temporary changes in mental status, coordination, and balance. Definitions are constantly updated based upon new research, but a concussion is a form of a traumatic brain injury. In fact, it’s the most common traumatic brain injury. After a concussion, the symptoms that occur differ from patient to patient. These include headaches, dizziness, vision problems, trouble concentrating, feeling slowed down, repeated vomiting, sleep problems, and even irritability and sadness. Symptoms may not even appear for days or weeks after the injury.
Concussions represent nearly a quarter of Ontario student injuries treated by a doctor or nurse. Ontario students who report a head injury are more than twice as likely to report very high emotional distress and to report less success in academics.
Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Children, Community, and Social Services, sponsored Rowan’s Concussion Law in the Legislative Assembly, where it was adopted in March, 2018.
Better late than never – this should have been done year’s ago.
