Concussions in Youth Sports
Patrick Price
Head injuries among youth athletes can have serious consequences for the future of children and the development of their brains. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that occurs when there is a jolt or blow to the head. When a child receives a concussion, they show signs and symptoms that keep them out of activity for approximately a week or until the symptoms cease. The brain of a child is constantly developing and that development can be crucial to their future. When a child experiences a concussion or even multiple concussions, nerve damage occurs that a young brain cannot heal from like an adult. Memory loss, subsequent mental illness, and even premature death are a few of the results that can be tied to concussions. Youth sports can be very good for children in many different aspects but need to be monitored and controlled when it comes to the safety and future of the kids. Parents and coaches are not educated enough on the issue and need to know the seriousness. Contact sports will always be around and there will always be fans but it might be time to start thinking about how early we allow kids to participate.
Patrick Price graduated from Gilbert High School. He is currently senior at Lander majoring in sociology.
