UIL Medical Advisory Committee Makes Recommendations for Rule Changes

Date: Oct 12, 2010
Category: Advisory Council or Committee

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUSTIN, TX— As a result of the Medical Advisory Committee of the University Interscholastic League held on Oct. 3, recommendations to amend the UIL Concussion Management Protocol were made. The recommendations of the committee will be proposed to the Legislative Council Standing Committee on Athletics on October 17.

Under the recommendations, UIL member schools would follow all current National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) concussion management guidelines. Currently, the UIL follows the guidelines issued by the American Academy of Neurology.

These guidelines, along with additional information on concussions, will also be included in the 2011-12 UIL Parent Information Manual, the UIL website and other UIL publications.

The UIL Medical Advisory Committee’s recommended amendments to the UIL Concussion Management Protocol include:

• A student-athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion must be evaluated by a licensed health care professional to determine if the student-athlete has sustained a concussion.
• If a licensed health care professional is not available, a supervising adult approved by the school district and who has appropriate training on concussion evaluation and management may evaluate student-athletes suspected of sustaining concussions.
• If a student-athlete sustains a concussion, he or she will not be allowed to return to play on the same day. Current guidelines stipulate that a student-athlete who sustains a concussion could return to play on the same day if the student was symptom free after 15 minutes of evaluation and testing.
• Return to play decisions will be made by a licensed health care professional, and after written clearance will follow a stepwise progression back to full participation.
• Any subsequent concussion sustained by a student-athlete will require further medical evaluation by a licensed health care professional, which could include a physical examination. Under the recommendation, written clearance by a licensed health care professional must be obtained for the student-athlete to return to practice or contests.

The Medical Advisory Committee serves as a permanent advisory committee to the UIL Legislative Council. The UIL Legislative Council and the Commissioner of Education must approve any amendments to the UIL Constitution and Contest Rules. If passed, the approved recommendations would take effect in the 2011-12 school year.

-- END --