(WKBW) — There's a new tool in tackling concussions in football.
Soon--youth tackle football programs run by schools, leagues or other organizations-- will be required to provide families with concussion and sub-concussive information. This coming after Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the legislation Tuesday.
The State Department of Health will be in charge of putting together and updating informational packets sent home to families. But this new law won't come in to play immediately. In early December, tackle football organizations will be required to educate parents on concussions.
Dr. Jennifer McVige, Director of Concussion Center at DENT Neurologic Institute, calls concussions "a silent injury."
"When you injure your head, it's a little different because you can't see it. It's not like a broken arm, broken leg, it's a silent injury," she said. Dr. McVige is happy to hear this legislation will help educate parents when it comes to concussions and their children.
Dr. John Leddy, Director of the Concussion Management Clinic at UBMD Orthopedics and Sports Medicine and professor of orthopedics at University at Buffalo, agrees.
"Education and raising awareness is good by large. We don't want to scare people too much, but we do want to alert them to what they should be looking for," he said.
Both experts said concussions are certainly not exclusive to tackle football and parents should know the signs and symptoms if their child plays any contact sport.
