Nationwide Study: 502,000 kids taken to ER with concussions North Texas youth hockey league takes a swing at concussions

DALLAS - Skyler Spiller loves everything about hockey--including the big hits. He plays high school and club hockey and last year he really got his bell run.

"It was just a ringing in my head," Skyler said. "I mean I blacked out for a little bit. I got in the locker room and my teammates told me I was kind of acting different in the locker room after the game."

Skyler isn't sure if it was a concussion or not--but this year finding out will be easier because more than 800 north Texas youth hockey players must undergo a baseline brain evaluation before league play starts--or they can't play.

Ken Locker is director of Texas Health Resources Ben Hogan Sports Medicine which started it's concussion management program two years ago--since then more than 24,000 kids have received a baseline test--more than 1,500 were tested again after being injured and were diagnosed with concussions.

According to a new nationwide study byt the American Academy of Pediatrics--from 2001 to 2005--more than a half-million kids between ages 8 and 19 went to the emergency room with concussions.

"There is no real proof that concussions are happening at a greater rat." Locker said. "But what we think is happening are parent are aware of concussions--the word is out and they're taking their kids to the emergency room as a precaution."

The youth hockey league has had a concussion program in place for two years--but this year the baseline test is mandatory.

Keith Andresen is the senior director of the Dallas Stars hockey programs--he said the program is important part of player safety.

"Obviously the kids don't develop as fast as the adults, don't recover as fast as the adults and this program is going to help us track when kids do have concussions," Andresen said.

And for young players like Skyler--they'll know if they have a concussion--or if they can get back on the ice.

Skyler still wonders about the big hit he took last season.

"It might have been one, I'm not really sure," Skyler said. "Now that I think about it I probably should have gone to the doctor but I just didn't."

For more information about this article, please visit http://www.the33tv.com/news/kdaf-youth-concussion-story,0,1522500.story

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