Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Hosts “Concussion Discussion”

The coaches, athletic director and athletic trainer at are concerned about their student athletes.

With all the attention on concussions at both the professional and amateur level, they have decided to host “Concussion Discussion,” an informational session for both parents and student athletes.

“This is for anyone who wants to know more about concussions, symptoms, things parents should look for. It is for all of our parents and students involved in any kind of contact sport,” said Bud Beatty, athletic director at the school.

The school will host Mark Mitros, M.D., a board-certified specialist in electromyography/physical medicine and rehabilitation.  Mitros will speak on Thursday, July 26 at 7 p.m. in the OLSH Auditorium. The discussion is free and open to the public.

Mitros has 25 years of experience working with patients who have had brain injuries and established a concussion management program at Aquinas Academy in Hampton Township.  

The information is particularly relevant in light of the law recently passed in Pennsylvania, the Safety in Youth Sports Act effective July 1, 2012.  For more information regarding this new act, visit the PA General Assembly's website .

According to Beatty, OLSH has had the “Impact Program” for several years. Impact is a computer program that measures a base-level and after-head impact performances of the school’s athletes. The information is also available to all UPMC facilities if an athlete needs to be treated at a medical facility said Beatty.

Lauren Buzonas, Athletic Trainer at the school will also be available to talk to OLSH parents and athletes about the school’s own procedures for head injuries.

Buzonas said the program is important for parents because the students don’t always tell her the extent of their injuries because they fear they wouldn’t be able to continue the season.

“Sometimes, I just don’t know how badly they have been hurt – the parents can become more aware of the symptoms themselves and ask questions they want to know,” she said.

Concussions and the effects, said Buzonas, need “attention and awareness” so that students don’t suffer the long-term injuries that are now showing up in NFL players.

"You can’t just ‘play through it’ anymore. We have to be able to know when a student is really hurt,” she said.

Beatty said they also hope to answer questions parents may also have in regards to the new Safety Act.