Rowan's Law in Ontario: What Burlington Parents and Coaches Need to Know

Why Ontario has a concussion law

Rowan's Law is named after Rowan Stringer, a 17-year-old high school rugby player from Ottawa who died in 2013 after sustaining more than one concussion in a short period. A coroner's inquest found that she, like many young athletes, didn't fully understand the risks of playing with concussion symptoms, and the adults around her didn't either.

Ontario passed Rowan's Law (Concussion Safety) in 2018. Its core requirements for sport organizations came into force in July 2019. The idea is simple: everyone involved in amateur sport should know the signs of a concussion, and no athlete with a suspected concussion should keep playing.

If your child plays hockey, soccer, rugby, basketball, lacrosse, ringette or almost any organized sport in Burlington, Rowan's Law affects their season.

What the law asks of parents, athletes and coaches

Rowan's Law places three main requirements on sport organizations:

• Concussion awareness, every year. Athletes, parents of athletes under 18, coaches, team trainers and officials must confirm each year that they have reviewed Ontario's concussion awareness resources. This is the form or online acknowledgement you're asked to complete at registration.
• A concussion code of conduct. Athletes, parents of athletes under 18, coaches and team trainers must review and agree to a code of conduct that supports concussion prevention and honest reporting of symptoms.
• Removal-from-sport and return-to-sport protocols. Every organization must have a process for removing an athlete with a suspected concussion and a step-by-step process for returning them to play.

Schools have parallel rules. Ontario's Ministry of Education requires school boards to have concussion policies, including a plan for returning to learning and to school sports. Both Halton school boards have these procedures, so it's worth asking your child's school how theirs works before you need it.

What happens after a suspected concussion

This is the part of Rowan's Law that matters most in the moment.

Removal is immediate. If an athlete is suspected of having a concussion, whether because they took a hit, show signs, or report symptoms, they must be removed from play right away. "Suspected" is enough; nobody needs to be certain.

No same-day return. An athlete removed for a suspected concussion can't return to training, practice or competition that day, even if they say they feel fine. Many concussion symptoms appear or worsen over the following hours.

Medical assessment. The athlete should be assessed by a physician or nurse practitioner. If a concussion is diagnosed, they follow the return-to-sport protocol. If it isn't, the organization's protocol describes what's needed before they can play again.

Return to sport is gradual. Returning to sport after a concussion follows a series of stages, from light activity up to full contact. Each step usually takes at least 24 hours, and athletes move on only if their symptoms don't return. Medical clearance is required before returning to full-contact practice and games. Our return to sport guide walks through the stages in detail.

Watch for an emergency during that time. Call 911 or go to the emergency department for a worsening headache, repeated vomiting, increasing confusion or drowsiness, seizures, weakness or numbness, or slurred speech. These are signs of a more serious injury and need urgent care, not a clinic visit.

Common questions from Burlington families

Does Rowan's Law apply to recreational leagues? It applies to sport organizations that offer amateur competitive sport, such as most minor hockey, soccer, rugby and similar associations. If you're unsure whether your league is covered, ask the organization what its concussion protocol is. A good organization will have an answer ready.

My child says they feel fine. Do they still have to sit out? Yes. Young athletes often under-report symptoms because they want to keep playing. Removal on suspicion protects them from a second injury before the first has healed, which is the situation Rowan's Law was written to prevent.

Who can clear my child to play? Medical clearance comes from a physician or nurse practitioner. Physiotherapists play a large part in recovery itself. We assess and treat the dizziness, headaches, neck problems and exercise intolerance that often hold an athlete back, and we guide the graded return to activity.

What if symptoms last more than a couple of weeks? Most young athletes recover within about four weeks. If symptoms are lingering or each step of the return-to-sport plan brings them back, that's a sign treatment can help. See persistent post-concussion symptoms for what that looks like.

How a concussion clinic fits in

Rowan's Law tells families what has to happen. It doesn't tell them who will help. That's where a concussion physiotherapist comes in.

At Burlington Concussion Clinic, we:

• assess balance, eye movements, neck function and exercise tolerance to find what's driving symptoms;
• build a graded plan for returning to school, training and competition, and adjust it as the athlete progresses;
• treat the specific problems that slow recovery, such as dizziness, headaches and neck pain;
• keep parents, coaches and the athlete's physician informed so everyone is working from the same plan.

If your child has had a suspected concussion this season, a concussion assessment is a good next step once any emergency concerns have been ruled out. You can book online or call us at 905-635-5711.

This article is general information, not legal or medical advice. For the current requirements and resources, see the Government of Ontario's Rowan's Law pages and your sport organization's concussion protocol.