Any time a person sustains a head injury, there is risk of concussion. While a concussion may not sound too bad on its own, the problem occurs when there have been repeated incidents of concussion which can then lead to serious long-term health problems. One especially troubling worry is that if an athlete, especially a child, receives a second concussion before the first has fully healed, it could cause permanent injury or even death.
According to experts, children who play football throughout high school may receive as many as 2,500 sub-concussive hits throughout their careers. A recent study found that the number of catastrophic brain injuries which caused permanent disabilities among high school football players has been on the rise in recent years. This alarming trend has researchers working on ways to make youth sports safer.
The issue that experts are debating is whether the safety skills obtained by experiencing contact in the form of contact sports early in life is counterbalanced by the risk of injury caused by possible multiple concussions.
Boston University’s Dr. Robert Cantu thinks that sports like ice hockey, lacrosse and tackle football should be off limits to kids under the age of 14 until rules are changed to limit risks of concussions and other injuries stemming from multiple blows to the head that so often come with the territory.
On the other side of the debate is Dr. Kevin Guskiewicz from the University of North Carolina. He believes young athletes need to learn how to deal with physical contact early on when they play against opponents who are the same age and size and that such play will ultimately lead to safer sports later in life.
The Mississippi personal injury lawyers at The Stroud Law Firm are experienced in all areas of personal injury including brain injury and medical malpractice. If you’ve been the victim of such an accident and need help navigating confusing legal waters, contact our skilled attorneys today for a free initial consultation at 1-833-536-5656.
Source: “Concussion experts differ on safety in youth sports,” by Tim Stevens, published atCharlotteObserver.com.
Leave a Reply