80% of Concussions and Sports Brain Injuries go undetected.

The Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy in sports is rampant. There is a reluctance by players to report potential concussions and Sports Brain Injuries. Players may feel pressure to “shake it off” when they are hurt for personal or team glory. And with only an estimated 42% of high school teams having access to a certified athletic trainer, a professional isn’t always there to see when a player is trying to mask the symptoms. Plus, coaches and athletic trainers may not have access to appropriate tools to monitor, track and quantify potentially harmful impacts. Injuries then go undetected and players are allowed to continue to play, though already exposed to dangerous impacts.

Key facts:

• The CDC estimates that more than 3.8 million Concussions and Sports Brain Injuries occur each year.
• 300,000 of these Sports Brain Injuries will result in a loss of consciousness.
• More than 250,000 concussions occur in high school football each year.
• If a Sports Brain Injury is undetected, it may result in Second Impact Syndrome.
• Second Impact Syndrome is a rare condition that occurs when a 2nd concussion occurs before a 1st concussion has properly healed causing rapid and severe brain swelling and often catastrophic results that could lead to permanent disability or death (BrainandSpinalcord.org).

What is a concussion?

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that is caused by a blow to the head or body, a fall, or another injury that jars or shakes the brain inside the skull. Although there may be cuts or bruises on the head or face, there may be no other visible signs of a brain injury. You don’t have to pass out (lose consciousness) to have a concussion. Some people will have obvious symptoms of a concussion, such as passing out or forgetting what happened right before the injury. But other people won’t. Source: WebMD.com

Concussions in the media

In Kids, Injury From a Concussion May Last Longer Than Expected
A blow to the head might injure a child’s brain differently than it would an adult’s, a new study shows. The study also found that the changes in a child’s brain often outlast symptoms like decreased reaction times, memory and concentration problems, irritability,insomnia, and fatigue. That means coaches and parents might be clearing kids to return to their sports while they’re vulnerable to reinjury.
children.webmd.com

Heading in soccer linked to concussions, study says
Concussions to seven different players in 2010 caused Chaminade Julienne High School boys soccer coach Matt Money to limit head balls during practices this past season. The preliminary study found abnormalities in the brains of 32 avid amateur soccer players who headed the ball more than 1,000 times a year. Those abnormalities ranged from memory, attention, planning, organizing and vision.
www.springfieldnewssun.com

More Schools Using Computers to Test for Concussion
Computerized testing to evaluate concussions among high school athletes appears to be on the rise, with an impact on return to play, national injury surveillance data indicated.
www.medpagetoday.com

Chartis Joins Forces with the National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS) To Help Reduce Concussions for Young Athletes
Chartis Insurance announced that it is working jointly with the National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS) to make information available to help reduce the risks of concussions and other head injuries in youth sports through its aHead of the Game initiative.
www.chartisinsurance.com

Signs of a Concussion
With Dr. Manny: I think my son might have a concussion. What are the signs?
video.foxnews.com