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Athletes and Concussions
A Concussion is a "Mild" Traumatic Brain Injury
A concussion is an injury to the brain which may be caused by a direct blow to the head or elsewhere on the body from an "impulsive" force transmitted to the head. Such an injury typically results in immediate and short-lived impairment of neurological function.
Injuries typically reflect a functional disturbance as opposed to a structural injury. The recovery time for a concussion can vary as much from hours to months. Concussions account for 80-90% of all Traumatic Brain Injuries. On average 564,000 youth ages 0-19 visit their physician annually for a "Mild" TBI. (1995-1997, Schootman & Fuortes, 2000)
The rates of TBI with symptoms are higher for boys than for girls. However, girls may possibly be more vulnerable than boys. The most common cause of school TBI's are falls, particularly for young children. Sports related concussions are more common for older teens (high school). The probability that your child may have a sports related concussion during their school career is 2% for boys, and 1% for girls. (Willer et al., 2004)
Sports related injuries account for approximately 18% of all Traumatic Brain Injuries in Children. (1995-1997, Schootman & Fuortes, 2000) While many believe that a loss of consciousness is indicative of the
degree of injury, it is estimated that less than 20% of all mild TBI's
actually lose consciousness.
In High School, those athletes who have sustained a concussion have increased vulnerability for another incident. There is a lower threshold for each concussion, and there are poorer outcomes for each subsequent injury.
Second Impact Syndrome is a rare, but profound and catastrophic outcome of a mild TBI. It happens when an athlete sustains another concussion before the symptoms of the 1st injury have completely healed. If this happens, severe brain damage, and/or even death can occur within 2-5 minutes due to the herniation of the brain stem. Second Impact Syndrome is most prevalent in teenage males. It is imperative to follow the advice of your physician regarding a concussion and always error on the side of caution.
Need More Information?
Links to Articles regarding High School Concussions:
Doctors Warn: Do Not Rely Only On What Young Athletes Say When Managing Concussions
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060911102111.htm
Concussion in High School Sports
Guide for Coaches
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/tbi/CGToolKit/Coaches_Guide.htm
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