Ahead of the Game Concussion Conference offers insights for health care providers, coaches, school staff, and parents. Central Oregon educators and medical providers are teaming up to raise awareness about youth concussions with three days of conferences in Bend, Oregon, from September 25 through 27.
The conferences, titled Ahead of the Game, are sponsored by The Center, St. Charles Behavioral Health, High Desert Education Service District, TCF (The Center Foundation) and The Center on Brain Injury Research & Training (CBIRT). Conference presentations include information for parents, teachers, physicians, health care workers, medical providers, school administrators, coaches, athletic directors, trainers and school nurses.
Featured speakers include nationally recognized youth concussion researchers and experts Dr. Gerry Gioia, chief of Pediatric Neuropsychology, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, D.C. and director of Neurobehavioral and Psychosocial Evaluation Core Laboratory of the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) and Dr. Kevin Guskiewicz, the Kenan Distinguished Professor and co-director of the Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center and director of the Center for the Study of Retired Athletes in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The conferences kick off on Thursday, September 25 with an evening presentation for general community members including parents, students, teachers, coaches and referees. On Friday, September 26, school staff and administrators will be the focus followed by Saturday morning sessions for medical providers and additional afternoon presentations for coaches, athletic trainers, and school nurses.
“This is a remarkable opportunity for the medical and education communities to come together and advocate for concussion awareness,” said Sue Hayes, High Desert Education Service District’s Traumatic Brain Injury liaison for Central Oregon. “There is so much new research and information that can help us get students get back on track after experiencing brain injury and we need to work together to make sure they’re getting what they need.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates between 1.6–3.8 million sports-related brain injuries occur each year in the United States. The majority of these are concussions. Of the reported brain injuries, approximately 65% occur in children aged 5–18 years. Children are more vulnerable to brain injury and are at greater risk for increased injury severity and prolonged recovery. See more Here.
Contact: Sue Hayes 541- 693-5712 or visit Here.
