Does BC need concussion laws to protect children and youth?

The following University of Victoria faculty member is available to media to discuss the need for consistent, evidence-based measures in amateur sports to protect children and youth from being returned to play too quickly after experiencing a concussion.

Manitoba recently became the second province in Canada to introduce legislation around sports-related concussion in children, following Ontario’s lead. Manitoba’s new Concussion in Youth Sport Act requires coaches to take annual training on recognizing and managing concussion, and prohibits children and youth from being returned to play until they have medical clearance. There is growing public demand for all provinces and territories to do the same.

Brian Christie (Division of Medical Sciences) is an expert in concussion and is available to talk about new research on young soccer players who “head” the ball that has identified heart-rate variability and brain-scan associated with concussion. He can also talk about his use of a 3D video game, the NeuroTracker, as an assessment tool and performance enhancer for people with concussions. He is available for interviews at 250-472-4244 or brain64@uvic.ca.

• View a video of Brian Christie talking about his research
• Read a Times Colonist article on the start of Christie’s NeuroTracker project
• View all Faces of UVic Research videos

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