What happens if my son might have a concussion?

The 2026 boys youth rules include the Concussion Recognition Tool. The key rule: any athlete with a suspected concussion must be removed from practice or play immediately, and must not return until assessed medically, even if the symptoms go away.

Call an ambulance if there's no licensed health care professional available and any of these red flags appear:

• neck pain or tenderness
• increasing restlessness, agitation or combativeness
• one pupil larger than the other

Other signs of a possible concussion:

• lying motionless, or slow to get up after a hit
• confusion, or a blank or vacant look
• balance problems or stumbling
• headache, "pressure in the head", nausea, drowsiness
• being more emotional or irritable

After the injury: don't leave him alone for the first 1-2 hours, and don't send him home by himself; he needs to be with a responsible adult. Don't remove a helmet or other equipment unless you're trained to do it safely.

CDC HEADS UP guidance adds: no return that day, and not until a health care provider gives clearance.