Concussions On The Rise in High School

A study released in September by <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/" title="Pediatrics">Pediatrics</a>, an official medical journal, shows that the number of high school athletes getting concussions has drastically increased in the past decade. 

High School football player Ryan Duong is one of three players on his team who have suffered from a concussion in the past year.

“I don’t really remember anything I just remember getting hit and then ending up on the bench and they told me I had a concussion,” said Duong.  “They rushed me straight to the E.R.”

Some doctors are attributing the increase in concussion to a change in recognition.  “I think more people are aware of concussions and aware of the danger of them and they tend to send them in or the kids report them more,” said sports medicine doctor <a href="http://www.usc.edu/uscnews/experts/1.html" title="Allen Abbot">Allen Abbot</a>.  “But in any case they’re not decreasing.”

Abbott explained that when an athlete receives a concussion, the shock of the jolt to the brain causes a temporary disruption of function throughout the body. 

After the hit the repair process starts, which could take minutes, hours, days, or longer depending on the severity of the injury.  Abbott described one type of concussion that should never go untreated.

“The kind I would really worry about is the kind where someone is unconscious or they have prolonged symptoms where they can’t remember they got hit, they can’t remember what they were doing. This amnesia phenomenon that lasts for hours, those are the ones we worry about the most,” explained Abbott.

Symptoms of a concussion can include a headache, nausea, dizziness, and trouble concentrating, which is why doctors say injured players not only need physical rest, but mental rest as well from homework, television, and video games.

“The main thing we’ve learned in the last 20 years is you don’t go right back to playing where it puts yourself at risk for a second one until you’ve had a chance for a complete recovery which may be days,” said Abbott.

But coaches don’t always take the proper medical steps to ensure that an injured high school athlete completely recovers.  Coach Jason Fernandez stresses the importance of having all players at practice at all times to promote team unity and respect.

“For me as a coach it’s more of a thing where if a kid gets hurt if he gets really hurt I still expect him to be at practice whether he’s suited up and running around or sitting there on the sideline with his team he’s going to be there,” said Fernandez.  “If  he’s not there he’s not on my team.”

Doctors and coaches agree that education and recognition of concussions remain the most important tools in improving concussion prevention during games and practices. 

Players like Duong realize the danger of concussions and are putting their safety first.  

Duong took the rest of the season off to recover from his injury, but continues cheering on his team from the sidelines.