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Increase in Concussions among Student-Athletes

There has been an increase in the number of children taken to hospital emergency rooms with sports-related concussions.  A new study, which has just been published in the journal Pediatrics, shows that the number of children with such injuries actually doubled during a 10-year period, while the actual number of children participating in sports declined during the same period.

The researchers considered sports-related head injury data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System between 1997 and 2007.  Children in the study were aged between 8 and 19.  Among children between the ages of 14 and 19, the number of emergency room visits for sports-related head injuries actually increased three times over the ten-year period.  Overall, the children in the study had made more than half a million emergency room visits for concussions between 2001 through 2005.  Approximately 50% of all emergency room visits for concussions in children were related to sports.  Younger children aged between 8 and 13 accounted for more than 50% of the concussions.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has released new recommendations on sports-related injuries including concussions, aimed at both parents and doctors.  The new guidelines were released just in time for the study. These guidelines will be published in the September Issue of Pediatrics.  The doctors are calling for a re-evaluation of the general thinking about concussions.  California brain injury lawyers often notice that many parents, coaches and even doctors brush aside the impact of concussions.  The American Academy of Pediatrics panel that developed the recommendations says that concussions are not a structural injury, but a functional injury.  The risk from complications from a concussion increases dramatically if the child suffers another concussion soon after the first one.  That’s why the panel is recommending that a child be made to rest soon after he suffers a concussion.  Going back to playing immediately after a concussion on the same day as the injury, is an absolute no-no.  In fact, children who suffer a concussion must be evaluated by a medical professional before they return to play.

Treatment consists solely of rest, rest and more rest.  It’s important to rest not only the body, but also the brain.  That means no television, no video games and no studying.  All of these can place strain on the brain that has already suffered an injury.  Children who have suffered a concussion must be encouraged to take a leave of absence from school.  They must be discouraged from physical exercise or any kind of play until their concussion-related symptoms disappear.  Typically, symptoms of concussion disappear after about 7 to 10 days.  If these symptoms persist, parents must not hesitate to seek a medical evaluation again.  Troublesome signs could involve a persistent and consistent headache that actually gets worse, inability to move arms or legs, and repeated vomiting.  If your child is feeling lightheaded, dizzy, has fainting spells or is showing signs of confusion, it’s important to rush him to a doctor immediately.  The American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines is also recommending that athletes who suffer multiple concussions be retired from contact sports altogether.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of brain injuries. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not representing any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

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