In the midst of Brain Injury Prevention Month, Senate Bill 112 could protect and prevent student athletes from head …

Posted: Mar 19, 2013 5:51 PM by Victoria Fregoso-Q2 News Updated: Mar 19, 2013 6:42 PM

BILLINGS - Playing the piano comes fairly easy to Ian Elliot. Being a traumatic brain injury survivor himself, Elliot considers himself lucky. Since his car wreck in 1994, he noticed a shift in the attention brain injuries receive, especially for student athletes. "I'm seeing a wave of focus, of improvement," Elliot said.

This improvement includes Senate Bill 112 which would require youth athletes suspected of having a concussion be taken off the field and receive medical attention before getting back in the game. "I think it's a long time coming, trying to get health care providers and coaches and parents to treat concussions seriously," said Timothy Sanders with the Billings Clinic Concussion Treatment Program.

Five years ago Billings Clinic teamed up with Billings School District 2 along with other teams in the area to monitor student athlete concussions. "Most of what the school district does now is what is being required by the new law. So, if the law passes, which I hope it does, I don't see much changing in school district 2 because we're way ahead of the game right now," Sanders said.

The bill is also being recognized as the "Dylan Steigers Protection of Youth Athletes Act." Steigers was a college athlete from Montana who died from a head injury.

Since the beginning of this school year, there have been 121 confirmed reports of concussions in Billings youth sports, all of which were initially recognized by an athletic trainer or coach. The bill includes the requirement that everyone involved in the game be educated on the nature and risk of brain injuries.

"Often times student athletes will go 'I'm ok, I'm ready to play' and they need to have that back up, of I'm not allowed to let you play.' And it will save lives, I think."

As of mid March, the bill has passed the Senate and is now being heard in the House. Concussions are also getting some national attention. Just this week, the American Academy of Neurology revised its guidelines and also recommends any athlete with a suspected concussion be removed from play immediately.

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In the midst of Brain Injury Prevention Month, Senate Bill 112 could protect and prevent student athletes from head ...