As Gerard Gioia described in his presentation “Importance of Effective Concussion Management in Youth Sports,” after an injury, Emergency Room doctors often give parents misleading and insufficient information
This can lead to poorer outcomes, as a result of the child returning to play too soon, which may in turn cause greater risk of additional concussion in play, longer recovery time, and an increased chance of cognitive side effects (Gioia, 2008)
Concussion in a Young Person
The effect of a concussion on a still-developing brain may lead to reduced plasticity later in life, that is, less ability to “bounce back” from injury (Giza & Hovda, 2001).
How to Avoid an Undetected Concussion
Young athletes should take a baseline neurological function test before the season begins, so that if injury occurs, a comparison may be made. The Return To Play decision should be made very conservatively, with neurological evaluation comparing performance to baseline.
Children and parents should be educated about the warning signs of concussion (Gioia, 2008).
See the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website “Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports.”
www.cdc.gov/ConcussionInYouthSports/english/toolkit_parents_factsheet.htm
Preventive Education
Coaches should work to improve player skill at avoiding injury and making contact without using the head.
They should press for rule enforcement when illegal hits are made.
Coaches should focus on strength and conditioning, especially on neck strength, which mediates risk of concussion.
Finally, effective equipment can reduce the risk of concussion (especially helmets designed with concussion-reduction in mind) (Gioia, 2008).
CDC’s “Carry the Clipboard” Campaign
Fact sheets about signs and symptoms of concussions can be taped to the back of the coach’s clipboard for easy reference.
These sheets may be downloaded at:
www.cdc.gov/ConcussionInYouthSports/images/coaches_Engl.pdf
Gender Differences
Girls are often under-informed about the risk of concussion, despite data from the Journal of Athletic Training which indicates that girls have a 68% higher concussion rate in high school soccer than boys, and in basketball, girls are three times more likely than boys to sustain a concussion.
Most concussions in these sports are caused by falls or collisions with other players (Schwarz, 2007).
Conclusion
Concussions continue to present problems for youth athletes; with systematic management directed at prevention and risk reduction, concussions can be reduced (Gioia, 2008).
Sources
Gioia, G. (2008, October 21, 2008). Importance of Effective Concussion Management in Youth Sports. Paper presented at the National Academy of Neuropsychology Sports Concussion Symposium, New York, New York.
Giza, C. C., & Hovda, D. A. (2001). The Neurometabolic Cascade of Concussion. Journal of Athletic Training, 36(3), 228-35.
Schwarz, A. (2007, October 2, 2007). Girls Are Often Neglected Victims of Concussions. New York Times.
Jeffrey Donaldson - J. Donaldson lives in New York City, and is interested in writing about literature and science.
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