The State of Ohio has recently enacted a new law, which is referred to as Lindsay’s Law, addressing the risk of sudden cardiac arrest in youth athletes. What is important to know:
1. Lindsay’s Law prohibits youth athletes from participating in an activity organized by a youth sports organization until the athlete and his or her parents submit a form acknowledging review of the Information Sheet on Sudden Cardiac Arrest. This must be done on a yearly basis.
2. Youth athletes are not permitted to participate in athletic activities organized by a youth sports organization if –
a. The youth’s biological parent, biological sibling or biological child has previously experienced a sudden cardiac arrest – until the youth has been evaluated and cleared by a physician; or
b. The youth is known to have exhibited syncope or fainting at any time prior to or following an athletic activity and has not been evaluated and cleared for return after exhibiting syncope or fainting.
3. A youth athlete shall be removed from participation in the athletic activity by his or her coach if such athlete exhibits syncope or fainting.
The Ohio Dept. of Health and the Ohio Dept. of Education has State of Ohio has provided the following required video, information sheet and signature form for parents and athletes in compliance with the law:
Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-YfCWQPeqw&feature=youtu.be
Information Sheet – https://www.odh.ohio.gov/-/media/ODH/ASSETS/Files/chss/Lindsays-Law/Parent-Guardian.pdf?la=en
Signature form – https://www.odh.ohio.gov/-/media/ODH/ASSETS/Files/chss/Lindsays-Law/Parent-Athlete-Signature-Form.pdf?la=en
Effective immediately, in accordance with the law:
1. Every skater must submit a signed signature form to the club by September 9, 2017 or he or she will not be permitted to skate on club ice and participate in off ice classes. Please note that the form requires both the parent’s and athlete’s signatures. The link to the information sheet and signature form is on this email. Please give the signed forms to the monitors.
2. Any skater who has a biological parent, biological sibling or biological child that has previously experienced a sudden cardiac arrest will not be permitted to skate on club ice or to participate in off ice classes until that skater has been evaluated and cleared by a physician;
3. Any skater known to have exhibited syncope or fainting at any time prior to or following an athletic activity will not be permitted to skate on club ice or participate in any off ice classes until such skater has been evaluated and cleared for return after exhibiting syncope or fainting.
4. Any skater shall be removed from participation in any SFSC athletic activity if such skater exhibits syncope or fainting.
5. Any skater that is not allowed to participate in the athletic activity or is removed from the activity is not permitted to return to the activity until the skater is evaluated and cleared for return, in writing by a physician or certified nurse practitioner.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Rochelle Paley
216-280-5510
rlpaleylaw@gmail.com
