Concussions and Developing Brains
Concussions and Developing Brains
Mild traumatic brain injuries (TBI), otherwise known as concussions, occur in people from infants to senior citizens. A concussion occurs when a person’s head suffers a sudden impacting force, usually a blow to the head, and the brain gains momentum in the free space between it and the skull, and slams into the skull. Concussions are characterized by a sudden loss of brain function, and other emotional, intellectual, and behavioral changes. In today’s youth football program kids are being brought up to be hard hitters from the same age they learn how to say the alphabet. As soon as they are given pads and helmets they almost become fearless, putting everything they have into smashing one another believing all of their gear will keep them from injuring themselves. We must keep in mind that adolescents of this age are still going through major developmental processes. Without progressing this issue ethically and scientifically people’s lives are going to continue to be ruined. I am arguing the need for more precautions and awareness, technologies, and regulations surrounding concussions in adolescents playing youth football because not only is the current system putting them in grave danger of attaining concussions and damaging their developing minds, but it also paves the way for multiple concussions to occur throughout their football careers, and we see all this much better when comparing the youth league to the NFL (National Football LEague).
According to Daniel Shrey, a medical doctor, “mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) or concussion is estimated to occur in millions of persons annually in the U.S. alone.” also, “The peak ages for these injuries are in adolescence and young adulthood, and sport-related concussions are particularly common among young persons.” (Shrey 1) Growing up during the time in which these injuries were seen to spike, I know that hard hitting in youth football is seen as a good thing, it gets the team
Mild traumatic brain injuries (TBI), otherwise known as concussions, occur in people from infants to senior citizens. A concussion occurs when a person’s head suffers a sudden impacting force, usually a blow to the head, and the brain gains momentum in the free space between it and the skull, and slams into the skull. Concussions are characterized by a sudden loss of brain function, and other emotional, intellectual, and behavioral changes. In today’s youth football program kids are being brought up to be hard hitters from the same age they learn how to say the alphabet. As soon as they are given pads and helmets they almost become fearless, putting everything they have into smashing one another believing all of their gear will keep them from injuring themselves. We must keep in mind that adolescents of this age are still going through major developmental processes. Without progressing this issue ethically and scientifically people’s lives are going to continue to be ruined. I am arguing the need for more precautions and awareness, technologies, and regulations surrounding concussions in adolescents playing youth football because not only is the current system putting them in grave danger of attaining concussions and damaging their developing minds, but it also paves the way for multiple concussions to occur throughout their football careers, and we see all this much better when comparing the youth league to the NFL (National Football LEague).
According to Daniel Shrey, a medical doctor, “mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) or concussion is estimated to occur in millions of persons annually in the U.S. alone.” also, “The peak ages for these injuries are in adolescence and young adulthood, and sport-related concussions are particularly common among young persons.” (Shrey 1) Growing up during the time in which these injuries were seen to spike, I know that hard hitting in youth football is seen as a good thing, it gets the team
Cited: 1 2 Hruby, http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/63895452/ 3Brain. 2009 Mar;132(Pt 3):695-708. doi: 10.1093/brain/awn347. Epub 2009 Jan 28. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19176544/ 4)http://www.patient.co.uk/health/post-concussion-syndrome 5)http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2013-02/nfl-teams-ge-concussion-technology 6)http://www.infoplease.com/askeds/total-players-nfl.html 7)http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/super/2014/01/30/super-bowl-nfl-revenue-denver-broncos-seattle-seahawks/5061197/ 8)http://www.digitaltrends.com/sports/technology-solving-the-nfls-concussion-problem-is-a-no-brainer-right-not-exactly/#!MJ1RQ 9) http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130202-football-concussions-nfl-super-bowl-safety-head-injuries-health/ 10)http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/technologies