After car accidents, concussions are the second leading cause of traumatic brain injury in young people ages 15 to 24. Most everyone has heard of concussions, but the majority associate concussions with football. While football is indeed the sport with the highest percentage of concussion-related injuries, young athletes suffer concussions in many other sports as well.
Every year, a staggering 3.8 million athletes suffer from concussions, according to the Brain Trauma Foundation, however the majority are misdiagnosed or not reported. In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics reports that sports-related concussions are on the rise in younger athletes although they remain highest in high school athletes.
Safe Kids Worldwide, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing injuries in children, found a disturbing trend in recent concussion data – almost half of the sports-related concussions seen in the ER are children ages 12 to 15. This trend is disturbing given the fact that younger children require a longer period of time to recover from a concussion than older youth.
While youth athletes can suffer a variety of injuries while playing sports, concussion rates are the highest in football, as well as wrestling, cheerleading, and ice hockey. Any sport in which an athlete is hit on the head, either by contact with another player or by a ball, will have some players who suffer concussions.
Adults involved with any sports, not just football, need to be aware of the warning signs and importance of not returning youth athletes to play if there is even a chance of concussion. Sports teams should have staff who are trained in evaluating possible concussions at practices and games and any youth who are suspected of a possible concussion should be evaluated by a health care professional.
In addition, coaches and parents shouldn’t push an athlete with a possible concussion to return to play, even if it might mean losing a game. One lost game cannot make up for the lifetime of serious repercussions that can occur from a traumatic brain injury.
Sports-related injuries such as a concussion can have a devastating impact on a young person’s life. The attorneys at Alexander Law Group are experienced in injury-related litigation. We help clients and their families receive proper compensation for their pain and suffering. You can reach one of our San Francisco personal injury attorneys at 888.777.1776, or you can contact us online.
