Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/608763
5. Protect Your Brain Brain Hygiene includes avoiding head inju- ries in the first place and seeking the most appropriate treatment if you do suspect a concussion. Here are some steps you can take to pro- tect your brain. • Use properly fitted, up to date protective equipment to reduce injuries. Although helmet and mouth guard manufactur- ers cannot claim that their products will prevent concussion, there is research to indicate that these products can reduce the force of impacts and prevent more severe head injury. Remember that recon- ditioned/altered or old helmets may not meet HECC safety standards, so it is best to avoid hand-me downs. • Insist on proper skill development and training in the latest techniques to help reduce risky or dangerous play. • Avoid the Gladiator Syndrome. The equip- ment you use is to protect you from injury, and not to make you feel injury resistant. • Create an atmosphere of good sports- manship, safe play, and zero tolerance for aggression. Dr. Michael Stuart, USA Hockey's chief medical officer explains, "…it's sportsmanship and mutual respect, which starts at home. We want to shape our athletes into responsible citizens who have a sense of sportsmanship and have respect for their opponents." • Educate coaches, parents, referees, ath- letes, and all athletic personnel about the signs and symptoms of concussion. Know your state's youth concussion law. Access free concussion educational materials at USAHockey.com/Safety and CDC.gov/ headsup/index.html. • Practice "when in doubt, sit them out" if you suspect a concussion and never return any athlete to the sport unless medically cleared. • Consider baseline neuropsychologi- cal concussion testing for your team. Baseline testing looks at those cognitive skills that are most susceptible to con- cussion. Test results at baseline, prior to an injury, can be compared to post- concussion test results to help determine and monitor recovery. Sports concussion health care personnel, such as sports neu- ropsychologists, administer and interpret these tests. For more information go to sportsneuropsychologysociety.com. • Seek expert sports concussion health care services if you are diagnosed with a con- cussion for an individualized, appropriate treatment plan. • Treat each concussion carefully and thor- oughly, allowing the athlete to fully heal before exposure to contact/collision risk. Avoid re-injury while recovering from a concussion to prevent a Post-Concussion Syndrome, when symptoms continue on for months, or more serious neurological consequences. Your brain is the most important organ in your body. It controls how you think, feel, sense, and coordinate all your body activity. Your sports performance is directly depen- dent on the health of your brain. Practice Brain Hygiene and keep your brain in great condition so that you can be at the top of your game. N Rosemarie Scolaro Moser, PhD, ABN, ABPP- RP is the director of the Sports Concussion Center of New Jersey and the author of Ahead of the Game: The Parents' Guide to Youth Sports Concussion (Dartmouth College Press). DECEMBER. 2015 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM 36 PHOTO COURTESY OF Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Did You Know? • Young children and teens are more likely to get a concussion, and take longer to recover than adults. • Athletes who have ever had a concussion are at increased risk for another concussion. • All concussions are serious. • Recognition and proper response to concussions when they first occur can help prevent further injury or even death. Clean Sweep