Young athletes are sustaining more sports-related c0ncussions, according to studies released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2010-2005v1
The AAP found that emergency room visits for concussions for children eight to 13 had doubled from 1997 to 2007, and that concussions soared 200 percent among youths 14 to 19 during that same timeframe.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/30/earlyshow/living/parenting/main6819078.shtml
“The number of sport-related concussions is highest in high-school aged athletes, but the number in younger athletes is significant and on the rise,” the AAP said on its website.
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/aug3010studies.htm#concussions“
In its study, “Emergency Department Visits for Concussion in Young Child Athletes,” in the September 2010 issue of Pediatrics, concussion-related emergency department (ED) visits were analyzed for patients between the ages of 8 and 19 years from 1997 to 2007.
From 2001 to 2005, U.S. children aged 8 to 19 years had an estimated 502,000 ED visits for concussion.
“Approximately half of all ED visits were sport-related concussions, and the 8- to 13-year-old age group accounted for 40 percent of these,” the AAP said. “ED visits for concussions in organized team sports were highest in ice hockey and football, and the most ED visits for concussion in individual and recreation sports were in snow skiing, bicycling, and playground activities.”
Even though organized team sport participation declined from 1997 to 2007, “ED visits for concussions in 8- to 13-year-olds doubled, and they more than doubled in the 14- to 19-year-old group,” the AAP said. “Study authors suggest that additional research and injury prevention strategies are needed in order to protect young athletes.”
On “The Early Show” on CBS Monday, medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said the concussion rate has jumped because more kids are involved in organized sports, the games are more intense and awareness of brain injury has increased.
The AAP also updated its guidelines on concussions in a new clinical report, “Sport-Related Concussion in Children and Adolescents,” in the September 2010 print issue of Pediatrics, published online today, Aug. 30.
“Young athletes are more susceptible to the effects of a concussion because their brains are still developing, and appropriate management is essential for reducing the risk of long-term complications,” the AAP said.
“Although preventing all concussions is unlikely, there are several ways to reduce the risk, including protective gear (such as helmets and mouth guards), adhering to the rules of the sport, identifying athletes at risk, and educating parents, teachers, athletes, school administrators and trainers about the dangers of concussions. Football has the highest incidence of concussion, but girls have higher concussion rates than boys in similar sports.”
Better understanding of the symptoms and risk of long-term complications have prompted the following recommendations from the AAP:
- Children or adolescents who sustain a concussion should always be evaluated by a physician and receive medical clearance before returning to play.
- After a concussion, all athletes should be restricted from physical activity until they are asymptomatic at rest and with exertion. Physical and cognitive exertion, such as homework, playing video games, using a computer or watching TV may worsen symptoms.
- Symptoms of a concussion usually resolve in 7 to 10 days, but some athletes may take weeks or months to fully recover.
- Neuropsychological testing can provide objective data to athletes and their families, but testing is just one step in the complete management of a sport-related concussion.
- There is no evidence proving the safety or efficacy of any medication in the treatment of a concussion.
- Retirement from contact sports should be considered for an athlete who has sustained multiple concussions, or who has suffered post-concussive symptoms for more than three months.
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