REPORT GIVES HEADS UP ON KIDS, TEENS AND SPORTS INJURIES
Undiagnosed head injuries put young athletes at risk for serious problems. Pediatric emergency medicine report notes that continuous sports-related head injuries, improperly managed, could result in chronic pain, paralysis and even death. Coaches, trainers and parents should be aware of risks.
Atlanta, GA,(PRWEB) October 15, 2003—Bumps and bruises after a long game
of football or soccer may be a sign of drive and determination among young
athletes, but a recent study reveals that small craniocerebral mishaps in kids’
sports could mean long-term neurological problems. A report in Pediatric
Emergency Medicine Reports notes that continuous sports-related head injuries,
improperly managed, could result in chronic pain, paralysis and even death for
young athletes.
According to report co-author, Dr. Don Penney, “Bouncing
a ball and launching a season’s worth of defensive tackles could lead to
extensive injuries if symptoms are overlooked by coaches, athletic trainers or
parents,.” Penney a Georgia spine surgeon and expert in treating rare
neurological diseases, teamed up with Dr. Ronald M. Perkin, a Professor and
Chairman of Pediatrics at East Carolina University to present the report focused
specifically on pediatric athletic head injuries.
“More than 300,000
sports-related head injuries occur each year nationwide, most of them among
younger athletes,” says Penney. “Elementary and high school players suffer mild
to moderate concussions and moderate brain injuries but because players appear
to be functioning normally, many coaches and trainers inadvertently ignore
crucial symptoms that could indicate substantial injury to the brain or
spine.”
Symptoms common to brain injuries include dizziness, ringing
ears, blurred vision, loss of balance and confusion.
According to
Penney, the first step to avoiding long-term brain trauma in young athletes is
to recognize these signs. “Children with mild head injuries comprise up to 93%
of all head-injuries admitted to the hospital,” says Penney. “It is imperative
that trainers and coaches properly identify the severity of a child’s head
injury and provide appropriate medical management before clearing a player to
return to competition.”
Trained in Toronto and at McGill University in
Montreal, the Canadian-born spine surgeon annually treats more than 200 patients
with spine injuries at Gwinnett Neurosurgical, just north of Atlanta.
While attending McGill, Penney began teaching neuroanatomy, histology
and gross anatomy to medical students. Some of his students were young athletes
who kept up with rigorous training routines that often resulted in continuous
trauma to the brain and spine.
“This study provides detailed guidelines
for categorizing the severity of head-injury cases, taking into consideration a
child’s brain and how continuous injuries impact development,” says Penney. “Our
conclusions suggest that proper assessment of even the slightest brain injury on
the field could reduce the risk of long-term injuries and possibly reduce the
risk of fatality among young athletes.”
Penney also encourages coaches
and athletic trainers to refrain from allowing players to return to the game
until all possible symptoms of mild to moderate injuries have been ruled out.
A member of the American Medical Association, American Board of
Emergency Medicine, and the Georgia Neurosurgical Society, Penney is currently
Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. He
is also on the teaching staff at the Cook County Hospital in Chicago, where he
annually donates time to treat indigent patients.
To receive a full copy
of the report on the long term effects of sports injuries on children and teens,
call Carole Mumford or Marilyn Pearlman at 404-298-6910.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2003/10/prweb84906.htm