The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R), Seattle, urges the passage of Washington State’s Zackery Lystedt Law in every state to protect young athletes.
The law requires medical clearance before any youth suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury be permitted to return to practice or competition.
The Academy will be providing resources for its members to advocate for the core principles of the Lystedt Law in their home states.
The Zackery Lystedt Law:
- Requires all school districts to work with their sports rule-making body to develop guidelines and informational forms to educate school administrators, coaches, youth athletes, and their parents of the nature and risk of concussion and head injury.
- Requires an information sheet about sports concussions be signed by youth athletes and their parents or guardians.
- Requires that a youth athlete who is "suspected of sustaining" a concussion or head injury be removed from play at the time of the suspected concussion.
- Requires that a youth athlete who has been removed from play receive written clearance prior to returning to play from a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions.
- Requires private, nonprofit youth sports associations who use public lands, such as school property and parks to be in compliance with the concussion and head injury policies noted above.
AAPM&R is the national medical specialty society of more than 8,000 physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, also called physiatrists.
[Source: [removed]American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation[/removed]]
