In accordance with Sections 7-433 and 7-436 of the Education Article and Section 14-501 of the Health-General Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, a youth sports program that uses a public school facility shall provide to the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Tourism an acknowledgment form for all of its athletic activities to comply with requirements under the law concerning concussions, head injuries, and sudden cardiac arrests of participants. Signing the form confirms that you are aware of and have been provided with additional facts and guidelines on Concussion and Sudden Cardiac Arrest for youth sports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All youth utilizing or participating in classes, events, programs, or leagues that meet the criteria will be required to have a signed form on file with the either Charles County Recreation, Parks & Tourism or with the activities sponsoring agency. For Charles County Recreation, Parks & Tourism programs, this information will be obtained during the registration process.

• Concussion and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Acknowledgment Form

Concussion Information

What is a concussion?
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury — or TBI — caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth. This fast movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging the brain cells.

How to spot a possible concussion
children and teens who show or report one or more of the signs and symptoms listed below — or simply say they just “don’t feel right” after a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body — may have a concussion or other serious brain injury.

• Concussion Information Sheet for Athletes
  
• Concussion Information Sheet for Parents

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Information

Definition
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a potentially fatal condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs. SCA in student-athletes is rare; the chance of SCA occurring to any individual student-athlete is about one in 100,000. However, a student-athletes risk of SCA is nearly four times that of non-athletes due to the increased demands on the heart during exercise.

Causes
SCA is caused by several structural and electrical diseases of the heart. These conditions predispose an individual to have an abnormal rhythm that can be fatal if not treated within a few minutes. Most conditions responsible for SCA in children are inherited, which means the tendency to have these conditions is passed from parents to children through the genes. Other possible causes of SCA are a sudden blunt non-penetrating blow to the chest and the use of recreational or performance-enhancing drugs and/or energy drinks.

• Sudden Cardiac Arrest Information

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