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What is a concussion?
Classified as an injury to the brain caused by a heavy jolt or blow
to the head, concussions used to be considered relatively mild
injuries, but doctors now know about potential long-term effects
that concussions can cause, and that knowledge has spurred the
sports world to help athletes understand the risks of concussions.
Signs of a concussion
We all need to know how to identify obvious concussion signs on
our children. Common physical symptoms of concussions include
headaches, blurry vision, dizziness and loss of balance.
Additionally, there are some mental symptoms such as memory
loss, difficulty concentrating and sluggishness that are associated
with concussions.
Attention and detection
head
in the game
risk of concussions in teen sports
We often allow our teens to play various
sports to help them learn the importance
of teamwork, sportsmanship and an active,
healthy lifestyle. However, most sports carry
relevant concussion risks. In fact, recent
studies have shown that sports concussions
have nearly doubled over the past decade.
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Today, our doctors are equipped with terrific tools such as the MRI
and CAT scan that can reveal hematomas and other issues with the
brain, and our expanded medical knowledge of concussions has
caused the National High School Athletic Association to create and
enforce strict injury rules. Generally, any player who exhibits signs
of a concussion after a blow to the head during a game must be
removed from athletic play immediately.
Dr. Larry Epperson, board certified neurologist, works with
most area high school and college athletes who have received a
concussion or head injury. In
his field for 23 years, he has a
personal interest in concussions
since his son is a football player
at Samford University and was
an all-state middle linebacker in
high school.
Epperson uses the American
Academy of Neurology
Concussion safety
guidelines when determining
guidelines and postthe severity of concussions and
injury rest periods have
a protocol for clearing athletes
not been established for
for play. There are basically
athletes under the age of
three grades of concussions:
14 playing in recreational
grade 1, which includes lightleagues. A growing
headedness, dizziness and
brain is a different issue,
pain for less than 15 minutes;
grade 2, which includes lightand Epperson advises
headedness, dizziness and pain
parents to stop play for
for more than 15 minutes; and
a season if a concussion
grade 3, which includes any loss
occurs during
of consciousness.
recreational league play.
For the first two grades, the
injured athlete is pulled from
play and must be medically cleared to play within one week. For
grade 3, the athlete must be symptom free for two weeks before it
is safe for renewed sports participation. The AHSAA requires that
the student athlete have a written clearance from a doctor to be
able to play sports after any concussion.
Epperson cautions that parents need to be sure that their
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you
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