For Parents
Every year many young athletes involved in sports activities sustain a concussion. It is not always clear to athletes, coaches, and parents how serious the effects of a seemingly mild concussion can be. This lack of awareness may result in allowing an athlete to return to play too soon following an initial injury, placing him or her at risk of more serious injuries. At the Center for Human Potential, we believe that the early identification and effective management of concussion can help maintain the safety and well being of these young athletes.
Between 1.4 and 3.6 million sports and recreation-related concussions occur each year, with the majority happening at the high school level
Studies estimate that at least 10 to 20 percent of all athletes involved in contact sports have a concussion each season.
A concussion can occur when an athlete receives a traumatic force to the head or upper body that causes the brain to shake inside of the skull. There are 21 symptoms associated with concussion.
....how long the concussion symptoms last has turned out to be far more important than the initial symptoms of concussions in predicting outcomes.
The popularity of contact sports in the United States exposes a large number of participants to risk for brain injury. Recurrent brain injuries can be serious or fatal and may not respond to medical treatment. However, recurrent brain injuries and second impact syndrome are highly preventable. Physicians, health and physical education instructors, athletic coaches and trainers, parents of children participating in contact sports, and the general public should become familiar with these recommendations. (from the CDC MMWR weekly)
