High school athletes are now receiving better care when concussions occur.

Intro:	The National Football League forces players with concussions to sit out a game. But after a Kansas City high school football player died after suffering a concussion this fall, Missouri still relies on schools to handle the injuries themselves. Sherman Fabes has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Kaylee Hempen has had eight concussions in her life.

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Description: "...Five in high school, and one was during swim team, and then I think it was two in softball and two in basketball."

The Joplin native is now a sophomore at the University of Missouri, but she still feels the effects of her head injuries from her playing days.

Actuality:	HEMPEN3.WAV
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Description: "I get migraines all the time and I take Advil probably once a day at least."

But, that's not all.

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Description: "Anytime the weather changes I seem to get bad migraines."

Blunt trauma, like when a football player's helmet hits another, can cause a concussion.

But Pat Forbis, coordinator of sports medicine services at St. Mary's Sports Medicine and Rehab Center in Jefferson City, says that's not the only way to get one.

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Description: "It can be an indirect trauma where one part of the body is hit and it causes the brain to, with lack of a better word, squish."

The 'squishing' of the brain is enough to cause permanent damage to teens and children if not treated correctly.

A study conducted from 1997 to 2007 indicates the number of teens who've been diagnosed with a concussion in emergency rooms has tripled.

Forbis says only about 3 percent of those who got concussions a year ago actually lost consciousness.

But that has a downside.

A person with a concussion might not think it's serious and wait for the injury to heal itself.

But if a second brain trauma occurs before the first is fully healed, that's when the real damage can happen.

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Description: "It's a devastating injury that may cause a loss of life, permanent brain damage and it's called a second impact syndrome and it can occur hours or even weeks after that initial brain injury."

Forbis says 80 percent of people heal fully from concussions within the first three weeks.

But that still leaves the other 20 percent.

Forbis says they develop post-concussion syndrome, and may never return to sports.

There are only 10 states that have laws regulating how schools handle sports brain injuries.

Missouri is not one of them.

Outgoing St. Louis County Democratic Representative Don Calloway said the legislation is important to help teens.

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Description: "If a kid is suspected of a brain injury we make sure that they get the proper medical attention right away, which could identify and perhaps even prevent the traumatic effects we would see down the road."

This legislation was a part of a health care bill last spring.

But, the session ended without its passage.

Calloway won't be at the statehouse this fall -- he ran for a state Senate seat, but lost.

While the legislature has not acted, the Missouri State High School Activities Association does have guidelines for its member schools.

It strongly suggests that athletes who have concussion symptoms stay off the field or court for the rest of the day.

And the association says a doctor trained in sports concussions should clear the athlete before he or she returns.

Stan Ochsner is the athletic director at the Jefferson City Helias High School.

He says the school had already been taking precautions to protect their student athletes.

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Description: "We have a seven day waiting period until the last symptom."

The symptom can be anything from memory loss to a headache.

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Description: "We're just not gonna take a chance with it."

Here's how dangerous it is.

Nathan Stiles, a senior high school football player near Kansas City, collapsed and later died after suffering a concussion during a game.

Christine Splichal, a spokeswoman for Stiles' school, Spring Hill School District, says it didn't do anything wrong.

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Description: "The school district feels that we followed the recommendations, that we followed our policies but, obviously that still doesn't change the tragic fact that we lost Nathan."

Now, precautions are even making their way to the big stage.

The National Football League now forces players to sit out at least game after suffering a concussion and cleared to play.

That has also helped focus public attention on football injuries.

But it's not the only sport.

In fact, The American Academy of Neurology reports the incident rate of concussions is higher in females than in males.

And that takes us back to Kaylee Hempen.

She remembers how she was treated after sustaining one of her concussions.

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Description: "One of the doctors that was at the hospital that treated me told me that I was not allowed to go back to practice or games until two weeks later because it was so severe that I did not really do anything for a good week."

Medical experts say they understand concussions can't be prevented, but there is a way to be proactive in protecting high school athletes.

From Jefferson City, I'm Sherman Fabes.

Intro:	As the NFL steps up their protection of players, some states are as well. There are 10 states in the U.S. regulating how schools handle sports brain injuries, but Missouri is not one of them. Sherman Fabes has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Outgoing St. Louis County Democratic Representative Don Calloway said legislation on brain injuries is important to help teens.

Actuality:	CALLOWA1.WAV
Run Time:	00:11
Description: "If a kid is suspected of a brain injury we make sure that they get the proper medical attention right away, which could identify and perhaps even prevent the traumatic effects we would see down the road."

There had been concerns by the Senate with how to implement and fund the legislation.

Pat Forbis, sports medicine expert at St. Mary's Sports Medicine in Jefferson City, says 80 percent of people heal fully from concussions within the first three weeks.

But that still leaves the other 20 percent.

Some medical experts say they can develop post-concussion syndrome, and may never return to physical activity.

From Jefferson City, I'm Sherman Fabes

Intro:	After a high school football player collapsed and later died after suffering a concussion during a football game in October, schools are trying to take their precautions. Sherman Fabes has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Nathan Stiles, lost his life because he took the field a second time after suffering a traumatic brain injury.

Pat Forbis, coordinator of sports medicine services at St. Mary's Sports Medicine and Rehab Center in Jefferson City, says a concussion can happen with blunt trauma, like a helmet hitting another helmet.

But, that's not the only way.

Actuality:	FORBIS1.WAV
Run Time:	00:09
Description: "It can be an indirect trauma where one part of the body is hit and it causes the brain to, with lack of a better word, squish."

The 'squishing' of the brain is enough to cause permanent damage to teens and children if not treated correctly.

That is why the Missouri State High School Activities Association has guidelines for its member schools even without state legislation.

From Jefferson City, I'm Sherman Fabes.

Intro:	The National Football League is coming down hard on helmet to helmet collisions because of new research on the longterm affects of concussions. And so are Missouri high schools. Sherman Fabes has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Only 10 states have legislation regulating how schools handle sports brain injuries.

Missouri is not one of them.

But, while the legislature has not passed any legislation, the Missouri State High School Activities Association does have guidelines for its member schools.

They say the student athlete should not to return to the field or court until they have been cleared by a doctor trained in sports brain injuries.

Stan Ochsner, athletic director at the Jefferson City Helias High School, says their school has already been protecting their students.

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Description: "We have a seven day waiting period until the last symptom."

The symptom can be anything from loss of consciousness to a headache.

The school says they don't want to take any chances.

From Jefferson City, I'm Sherman Fabes

Intro:	A St. Louis County Representative says as the NFL protects its athletes, legislation is needed in Missouri to protect its student athletes. Sherman Fabes has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Outgoing St. Louis County Democratic Representative Don Calloway said legislation on sports brain injuries is necessary to protect students' lives.

He says when concussions are not treated properly long term affects can happen.

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Description: "They become debilitated and less capable of functioning in society. They become prematurely mentally handicap."

The National Football League now forces players to sit out at least game after suffering a concussion and cleared to play.

That has also helped focus public attention on football injuries.

But it's not the only sport.

In fact, The American Academy of Neurology reports the incident rate of concussions is higher in females than in males.

The legislation passed the house last session, but in the closing days died in the Senate in order to have quick passage on the bill.

From Jefferson City, I'm Sherman Fabes.

Intro:	A sports medicine expert says some student athletes return to quickly from brain injuries. Sherman Fabes has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Pat Forbis, sports medicine expert at St. Mary's Sports Medicine in Jefferson City, says it isn't the first concussion that's the major problem.

It's the second.

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Description: "It's a devastating injury that may cause a loss of life, permanent brain damage and it's called a second impact syndrome and it can occur hours or even weeks after that initial brain injury."

The Missouri State High School Activities Association tells its member schools how to handle brain injuries.

They say a doctor trained in sports concussions should clear the athlete before he or she returns.

From Jefferson City, I'm Sherman Fabes.

Intro:	Concussions are in the public's eye much more than they used to be because of the NFL. But, one Missouri high school athletic director says concussions are not more frequent now. Doctors have just become better. Sherman Fabes has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: A study conducted from 1997 to 2007 indicates the number of teens who've been diagnosed with a concussion in emergency rooms has tripled.

Stan Ochsner, athletic director at the Jefferson City Helias High School, says concussions happen just as much as they always have.

Actuality:	OCHSNER1.WAV
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Description: "The numbers of concussions that you hear about today have a lot more to do with them being properly diagnosed, now much more so than in the past."

The National Football League now forces players to sit out at least one game after suffering a concussion and cleared to play.

The guidelines are very similar to those that the Missouri State High School Activities Association has set forth to it's member schools.

Oschner says the students' safety is their number one priority.

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Description: We're just not gonna take a chance with it."

From Jefferson City, I'm Sherman Fabes.