Concussion laws and student athletes

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - New legislation in Indiana and Illinois focused on keeping student athletes safe.

Friday night football feels like a high school tradition, but it can be a dangerous one.

Concussions in high school athletes aren't new, but the ways to tell if they have one are advancing.

"The impact test helps us confirm the diagnoses, but also when it's safe to return to practice or play," the UAP Clinic’s Dr. Andrew McDonald said.

Many local schools are using the Impact Test. Athletes take a test when they get into high school. Then, if an injury hits, they'll take it again. Any changes could mean they're suffering from a concussion.

"Basically it's a way for us to have objective data on how their brain is working and not just rely on symptoms."

New laws in both Indiana and Illinois require schools to take any athlete out of a game or practice if they may have suffered from a head injury.

"If I believe they have a concussion, they're out of the game until they take Impact," Terre Haute North High School trainer Jed Arseneau said.

It may sound like a lot, but these injuries are serious.

"If they continue playing with it, they can develop a thing called second impact syndrome and that can make things worse," Arseneau said.

This is different than in years past when a student simply reported symptoms to their trainers.

Determined student-athletes don't always notice changes in their attitudes, feelings, or physical abilities. This test offers a concrete answer.

"Something to show to the athletes, their parents, and their coaches to say, ‘You may say you feel better, but there is evidence that you aren't quite ready to come back,’" Dr. McDonald said.

With time comes medical advancement that is saving major trouble for student athletes now and later.

"Between then and now, there is more research to show that the brain is a vital part of the body and you need to protect it as much as possible," Arseneau said.

The program being used locally is the same as the many professional sports organizations, including the NFL.