High school students who suffer a concussion during intramural sports would be protected by the state’s student-athlete head injury safety program under a bill sponsored by Assemblyman John DiMaio and approved this week by the General Assembly.

“High school-age students require more time to recover from a brain injury, and suffer more severe symptoms and neurological disturbances,” said DiMaio (R—Warren). “It is critical that students are fully recovered before returning to a normal daily regimen.”

The bill (A3799) adds intramural sports to New Jersey’s student-athlete head injury safety program, which requires special head injury and concussion diagnosis and treatment training for school physicians, coaches and trainers.

“Concussion damage becomes worse with repeat injury,” said DiMaio. “Multiple incidents can lead to learning and memory problems, and more serious long-term issues. The goal is preventing repeat concussions in young people who can least afford permanent cognitive damage.”

The CDC estimates that 1.6 million to 3.8 million concussions occur each year. As many as 30 percent are sports related. Statistics indicate 10 percent of athletes experience a concussion during any given sport season. Football players have a 75 percent chance of concussion, the highest risk for males. Female soccer players have a 50 percent chance of a brain injury.