Sports Concussions Are An Epidemic

It seems like concussions have been everywhere in the news lately

. From NFL football, to national car commercials, all the way down to high school sports, properly diagnosing and treating concussions is big news. While everyone seems to agree that concussions must be taken seriously, there does not appear to be much consensus on the best way to evaluate concussions or reduce the risk of subsequent concussions going forward.

Researchers at the American Association of Neurosurgeons found that every season 20 per cent of high school football players are concussed. In Canada, researchers performed a study on youth hockey, and their findings were even more alarming. They counted 21 concussions during the 52 games they observed, with a staggering 29% of the concussed players suffering another concussion.

It is those second or third or fourth concussions that are the most troubling and the most dangerous. Most professionals agree that the chances of suffering an additional concussion is much higher for the previously concussed. One high school trainer explained, "One of the big things we don't want is called second impact. They go back out there with a concussion that's not healed and they have a neurological problem that's a permanent kind of thing."

A concussion is essentially a bruise on the brain, usually caused by the brain's impact with the skull, and as any bruise does, it requires proper time to heal. Dr. Ned Amendola , the University of Iowa's football team physician and consultant to the NHL Players Association , believes essentially, "The brain needs a period of time to recover from a concussion."

Pop Warner, the country's oldest and largest youth football organization, now requires a note from a doctor clearing any participant who has suffered a head injury before they are allowed back on the field. But what that time period should be is up for debate. It is this grey area that causes confusion for schools, parents, even the doctors themselves says one Louisville accident attorney. Doctors not fully aware of past concussion history because of past improper diagnoses, put players and children at risk.

A Louisville personal injury attorney recounts the story from neighboring Kansas City of a young man who suffered a head injury, was cleared by a doctor to return a week later, and tragically died on the sidelines during his return game. The physician had the injured undergo a CT scan, but failed to notice symptoms of a subdural hematoma, an uncommon but deadly brain injury that ultimately proved fatal. The attorney handled a similar lawsuit against a hospital in Kentucky.

Until doctors, from NFL team doctors down to High School sideline volunteers, can come to a consensus on how to properly diagnose and evaluate concussions and their symptoms, the best parents can ask for is for schools to do the best they can says a Louisville accident attorney. Thomas Martin, Director of Adult Neuropsychology at the University of Missouri and President of the Brain Injury Association of Missouri, says "I think right now there's a large variation of how coaches, school districts and administrators approach this and some area schools are much more aware of the literature and are moving in the right direction, and other areas not so much."

So take a long hard look at your school district's approach to concussions before allowing your child to get involved with local contact sports. You could be putting their life in less than capable hands.

by: George Murphy

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