-Try to show your characters wearing protective helmets or head gear in sports such as baseball and softball, football, hockey, cycling, and wrestling. Protective headgear should be well fitting and worn consistently and properly. The chin strap on helmets should be buckled at all times.

-When a character has suffered possible head trauma consider portraying accurate symptoms such as:

    -Prolonged headache
    -Vision disturbances and dizziness
    -Impaired balance
    -Confusion and memory loss
    -Difficulty concentrating or understanding
    -Sleeping too much or sleeping too little

-Keep in mind the appropriate steps that coaches may take to prevent concussions including teaching safe playing and practice techniques, encouraging athletes to practice good sportsmanship and following rules of play. Try depicting athletes using proper techniques in blocking and tackling and “Heads Up” football practices. Click here for more information.

-Think about the post injury care following a concussion. Coaches should work to review injuries that occurred during the playing season and players may have to deal with possible long term side effects and work to prevent a second concussion from occurring.

-Consider that when a player becomes injured or suffers head trauma, the coach should pull that player off the field. Other athletes should avoid encouraging an injured player to keep playing.

Sources:
1 Center for Disease Control and Prevention
2 Center for Disease Control and Prevention
3 American Association of Neurological Surgeons

With the PRISM Nomination Review Committee completing their review of this year’s nominees, the Health and Wellness channel explores some past PRISM Nominees who recently were recognized at this year’s Writers Guild Awards. 

With the Super Bowl next Sunday, let’s keep in mind that sports injuries are a growing concern for parents who may be considering letting their child take up a sport such as football. Concussions are preventable sports injuries which are not only seen in NFL players, but more importantly a younger population that includes high school and college athletes.  Many football themed movies and television shows such as Friday Night Lights and Gridiron Gang have addressed concussions as sports-related injuries in an accurate and engaging manner.

I hope the depiction suggestions contained within this newsletter help assist you in the accurate portrayal of stories relating to concussions and other sports injuries. Lets do our due diligence and show the risks of concussions not only during football season, but year round in all sports and all levels of competition. The time is right for this present-day concern to be reflected in our fictional entertainment. 

Thank you for furthering the ART of making a difference.