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Kids and Sports: Playing it Safe

(ARA) - 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.

Courtesy of ARA Content