March 22, 2023 — Layla Blitzer, a 17-year-old high school junior in New York City, was playing field hockey for her school last October and was hit hard by the ball, right above her eye.
She sustained a serious concussion. She’s also had neck issues and headaches for the last 4 months. “They’re so severe I still need physical therapy for them,” she said.
At first, the staff at the opposing high school where she was playing didn’t realize she had a concussion. “Even the referee said, ‘You’re not throwing up, so you’re fine,’” Allison Blitzer, Layla’s mother, said.
It was soon clear…
