Florida requires all student athletes who sustain a head injury be pulled from the game to undergo testing and treatment.
Alexis Pedersen has a true love for the game of soccer, but even the games you love can cause you pain.
“I went up for a header and hit the girls head instead of hitting the ball,” said Alexis Pedersen.
That collision caused the Clearwater High School student to sustain a concussion. Luckily though she is one of about a thousand kids in Pinellas County to get a baseline concussion test.
It’s called ImPACT--Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing and Baycare Health Systems is the one who is offering it.
“In the long run the benefit is that you hope they’re going to be healthier when they get older in the short term we can provide better information about when it is safe to return to play,” said Dr. Ted Farrar, BayCare Health Systems.
The computerized test establishes a baseline for the student athlete.
When they sustain a head injury they go back and take the test again to see if things like reaction time and memory have been impacted.
It’s the same tool many professional leagues use, and now high schools are beginning to pick it up to make sure their athletes are safe.
“That’s what’s most important is that they’re back to normal healthy and good to go,” said Marie Freudenthal, a Clearwater High athletic trainer.
Thanks to the advanced testing Peterson is back on the field feeling healthy and enjoying the sport she loves.
The impact testing is used by the NFL, NHL, MLB and many major universities.