Gov. John Lynch is publicly signing a law that creates new rules
regarding student-athletes who suffer concussions. The
motivation behind the bill is the increasing number of head
injuries in youth sports. Lynch is signing the law Monday. Under
the law, which takes effect Aug. 17, information about
concussions would be distributed to all youth athletes each
year, and parents would have to sign forms indicating they had
read the information before the start of practice. Concussions
are caused by a blow that forces the head to move violently.
They can affect memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance and
muscle coordination. The symptoms become worse if not properly
treated. Young people are more susceptible to long-term
repercussions than adults.