Heads Up: Improving Youth Athlete Concussion Protocol in British Columbia

Concussions in youth sports have gained increasing attention over the past decade, as connections between head impacts and long-term damage have become more apparent, and as high profile cases of concussions have garnered more consideration in the public discourse. Despite this growing awareness, there is little in the way of basic legislation or policy to protect at-risk youth athletes in British Columbia. The highest incidence of concussion in the general population is among eleven to fourteen year olds in the province. This study investigates policies that other jurisdictions have implemented in efforts to increase awareness among athletes, parents and coaches, and reduce the number of youth concussions.