Kids and Sports: Playing it Safe
With the school year
fast approaching, kids are getting back to the books
and enjoying all of their favorite extracurricular
activities, including team sports. With sports injuries
being one of the leading causes of Traumatic Brain
Injuries (TBIs), knowing what precautions to take
can help prevent serious brain injuries.
As reported by the Brain Injury
Association of America, there are approximately 5.3
million Americans living with a disability caused
by TBIs. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention states that in the United States alone,
sports related concussions have reached epidemic proportions.
How does this relate to children?
TBIs are the number one cause of death and disability
in children and adolescents in the United States.
According to www.kidssource.com, more than 1 million
children incur head injuries each year, but many who
experience mild injuries never even consult with a
medical professional after the incident. Atlantic
NeuroSurgical Specialists (ANS), one of the Northeast’s
leading pediatric and adult Neurosurgery firms, has
put together some information on preventing and recognizing
TBIs.
“TBIs are one of the most
common conditions I see as a neurosurgeon,”
notes ANS neurosurgeon, Brian Beyerl M.D. “Parents
and coaches need to work together with children to
ensure the safest playing conditions are being made
available to today’s youth,” he adds.
“Taking very simple precautions, such as wearing
the proper protective gear, can help increase a child’s
safety.”
Dr. Beyerl suggests some preventative
measures and how to identify symptoms of TBIs:
Preventative Tips
* Make sure coaches are teaching
the proper technique.
* Check playing equipment routinely
for wear and tear.
* In contact sports, wear a
protective mouth guard (must cover all teeth). The
mouth guard can act as a shock absorber, if hit in
an upward motion.
* In sports conditioning, pay
close attention to the neck muscles. When these muscles
are strengthened for sport activities, it can increase
the amount of force required to cause injury, i.e.
concussion.
* Appropriate protective gear
must be worn to protect the head and neck, almost
every sport has something that can be worn.
Recognizing the Symptoms
* Any clear fluid or blood coming
from the ears or nose.
* Swelling of the scalp
* Severe headaches
* Vomiting occurs three or more
times
* Blurred vision and/or dilated,
unequal size of pupils
* Dizziness or inability to
balance properly
* Incapable of responding to
others, semi comatose state
* Paralysis or difficulty in
moving body parts
* Body numbness or tingling
sensation
* Ringing in the ears, changes
in hearing quality
Getting Back to the Game
“When dealing with a TBI,
it is very important to take the necessary precautions
that the injury is fully healed before returning to
play,” states fellow ANS neurosurgeon, Johnathan
Baskin, M.D. “There should be an open line of
communication among the physician, athletic trainer,
parent and injured person, so the athlete does not
risk further injury,” says Dr. Baskin. “Even
if the patient is feeling 100 percent recovered, it
is recommended he pass the appropriate physical before
jumping back into the game.”
By understanding the severity
of a TBI, sports related injuries can decrease dramatically.
“ANS is happy to evaluate patients with lingering
head trauma symptoms,” adds Baskin.
