Concussions in Youth Sports (29)
What is a Concussion?
Concussions are traumatic injuries to the brain and can be very dangerous if not properly recognized and taken care of immediately. Significant injury can occur without losing consciousness. Untreated head injuries may lead to lifelong changes such as learning disabilities, speech and motor impairment and even death.
Some symptoms to look for immediately after a hit to the head of any kind include: dizziness, loss of balance or concentration, loss of memory, vomiting, numbness or tingling, sensitivity to light or sound, headache and much more.
All athletes who sustain a concussion or think they may have sustained a concussion, No Matter How Minor, should undergo an evaluation by a qualified healthcare provider before returning to play. The athlete may be required to take what is called an ImPACT Test.
Athletes can return to play after they are completely free of all symptoms of a concussion and remain symptom free during and after physical and/or mental testing.
However, it is difficult to determine if the brain has healed from a concussion, even after all physical symptoms have resolved healing may not be complete. Returning to play to soon and suffering another concussion can result in what is reffered to as Second Impact Syndrome which may ultimately result in coma and/or death without warning.
Concussion's in Youth Sports | How Do I Recognize a Possible Concussion?
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Mayo Researchers Validate Rapid Sideline Concussion Test for Youth Athletes
Written by LV Sportz Foundation
Eye movement test detects concussions and possible 'silent' concussions Video follows article below PHOENIX — A rapid, easy-to-administer eye movement test is showing great promise as a sideline concussion test for youth sports, a Mayo Clinic study finds. In the study, Mayo Clinic researchers assessed high school hockey players using the King-Devick test. The test requires an athlete to read single-digit numbers displayed on cards. After suspected head trauma, the athlete is given the test, which takes about two minutes, and the results are compared to a baseline test administered previously. If the time needed to complete the test takes longer than the…
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Concussions in Youth Sports
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American Academy of Pediatrics offers new guidance on “returning to learning” after concussion
Written by LV Sportz Foundation
ORLANDO, Fla. -- A concussion should not only take a student athlete off the playing field – it may also require a break from the classroom, according to a new clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). In the clinical report, “Returning to Learning Following a Concussion,” released Sunday, Oct. 27 at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, the AAP offers guidance to pediatricians caring for children and adolescents after suffering a concussion. “Students appear physically normal after a concussion, so it may be difficult for teachers and administrators to understand the extent of the child’s…
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Concussions in Youth Sports
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More Severe Concussion Symptoms Lead to Longer Recovery Time
Written by LV Sportz Foundation
Cincinnati, OH, April 25, 2013 -- Most children who suffer from sports-related concussions recover within a few days. However, in a small number of children, symptoms can last for a month or more. Although there have been numerous theories as to what might predict a longer recovery time, there is no definitive answer as to why it takes some children longer to recover. In a new study scheduled for publication in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers attempted to identify risk factors that might predispose some children with concussions to longer recovery times. Dr. William P. Meehan, III and colleagues from…
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Concussions in Youth Sports
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New Study Shows Most Youth Football Player Concussions Occur During Games, Not Practice
Written by LV Sportz Foundation
NOTE: Acclaimed Sports Concussion Prevention Leaders Dr. Robert Cantu and Chris Nowinski from the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University state that an estimated 70 to 90 percent of concussions in sports are never diagnosed. They the study really just shows how many concussions are missed during practices due to a lack of trained eyes (like those of medics and athletic trainers) during practices. Cincinnati, OH, June 6, 2013 -- Sports-related concussion has been referred to as an “epidemic” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Emergency department visits for concussions have increased 62% between…
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Concussions in Youth Sports
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The American Academy of Neurology Updates Sports Concussion Guidelines
Written by LV Sportz Foundation
With more than one million athletes now experiencing a concussion each year in the United States, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has released an evidence-based guideline for evaluating and managing athletes with concussions. This new guideline replaces the old guideline. "Among the most important recommendations the Academy is making is that any athlete suspected of experiencing a concussion immediately be removed from play,” said co-lead guideline author Christopher C. Giza, MD, with the David Geffen School of Medicine and Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA and a member of the AAN. “We’ve moved away from the concussion grading systems we first established…
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Study Finds Lesions in Some MRI's After Mild Concussions - May Provide Better Targeting of Treatment
Written by LV Sportz Foundation
More research obviously needs to be done but hopefully this can lead to better early recognition and treatment of concussion's. Of course, this is can only be helpful if parents, coaches and players properly recognize and report the injury early. Remember that symptoms can take hours, days or week to show...: According to a study presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego in March 2013, brain imaging soon after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or mild concussion can detect tiny lesions that may eventually provide a target for treating people with mTBI. The study conducted…
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Concussions in Youth Sports
As we are out and about in the Las Vegas community, we have been giving out concussion awareness kits to parents, coaches and young athletes that were provided to us by the Derek Sheely Foundation which was created by Derek's family shortly after his passing. Though we were never blessed enough to know Derek personally, we have created a strong bond with his family since we first made contact with them and are honored to be sharing his story as part of our P.A.S.S. Community Outreach Program. The story here on our website contains a little more information about who…
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Concussions in Youth Sports
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Survey Finds That Knowing the Dangers of Concussions Not Enough to Keep Many Teens on Sidelines
Written by LV Sportz Foundation
A recent study (described below) of High School athletes shows a disturbing trend that we unfortunately believe trickles down to the youth level as well. The mentality of many athletes (and parents) today of "it could never happen to me" or "the future of my hopeful sports career" to many greatly outweighs the facts of the dangerous outcomes they can face if they are wrong. We have just two of many available examples of people who thought it could never happen to them but did. Their lives have been completely altered, not just in the fact of never being…
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Concussions in Youth Sports
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Nevada AB455 - What You Need To Need Know for Local Youth Sports
Written by LV Sportz Foundation
We recently asked a question on our Social Networks if any parents of local youth athletes had received any information from their leagues regarding the leagues policy concerning the prevention and treatment of injuries to the head which may occur during a youth’s participation in those competitive sports. The overwhelming response was "NO". Unfortunately many local leagues and parents must not be familiar yet with Nevada AB455 and how it relates to sports outside of school and those outside the realm of the NIAA (Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association). The first sections of the bill that passed in May 2011 are…
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Concussions in Youth Sports
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Former Aspiring Las Vegas Female Youth Soccer Athlete Battles the After Effects from Major Concussion Injury
Written by LV Sportz Foundation
18 year old Las Vegan Sasha Pina first started playing soccer at the age of 8 and by the time she was 16 years old She was on top of the world and was looking forward to a very promising soccer career. To say she loved soccer is an understatement, she lived for it. She was a fast runner, the speed and accuracy in which she could cross the ball was her claim to fame. She had even found a recruiter and already had 2 colleges showing interest in her plus she had finally made the competitive team that she…
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Concussions in Youth Sports
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Katie Couric Talks Concussions in Youth Sports
Written by LV Sportz Foundation
In a recent episode of the Katie Couric Show, Katie discusses concussions in young children. Her guest for the segments is Dr. Robert Cantu, a leading neurosurgeon and author of Concussions and our Kids, who strongly encourages and advocates that children don't participate in contact sports until the age of 14. The basis of his push for the age limit is due to the fact that young necks are much weaker than in older children which can result in a more violent movement of the head during a hit or impact that creates a whiplash type movement. He also says…
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Concussions in Youth Sports
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Concussions Can Cause Long-term Effects For Young Athletes
Written by LV Sportz Foundation
Through May 15 of this year, the IHSA has reviewed 145 reports that have come into their office from sports officials who have had to remove a student-athlete from a game. Of those 145 cases, 118 players did not return to the game in which they sustained the injury. Tragedy can strike if a concussion is not treated properly, causing further brain trauma, chronic headaches, psychological disorders, long-term memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease and even death. Cumulative injury can cause serious mental impairment later in life even if immediate problems aren’t evident. Even with all these potential long-term effects, and media coverage…
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We are proud to announce our new partnership with the Derek Sheely Foundation to spread concussion awareness across our valley's youth. With the help of local Walmart Store #5259 (6151 West Lake Mead Blvd., Las Vegas 89108), THE DEREK SHEELY FOUNDATION has created Concussion Awareness Kits as part of their grassroots campaign to reach and inform young athletes (ages 5-18), their parents, and coaches to the signs, symptoms, dangers, and prevention of concussions and traumatic brain injuries. As The LVSportz Foundation receive's these kits we will be handing them out to local families, teams and leagues. Contact us if your…
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A Dangerous Game: Student Athletes and Head Trauma [Infographic]
Written by LV Sportz Foundation
Sports are often a meaningful component of a child’s life from a very young age. Being part of a team can help nurture leadership skills, build confidence, and teach cooperation. Depending on the sport, though, accidents and hard hits can be a frequent occurrence. Coach and parent guidance, proper equipment, and access to a health care professional all help prevent serious injury, but concussions are an ever-present threat. Each year, 1.6 to 3.8 million sports-related concussions occur, and approximately half of those hospitalized with a head injury are 24-years-old or younger. The challenge lies in the fact that concussions are…
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Ensuring Proper Helmet Fit May Help to Minimize Concussion Severity
Written by LV Sportz Foundation
Dr David Geier explains how a new study presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons shows that athletes whose helmets fit properly had less severe concussions. What does this study mean for athletes, parents, and coaches? It is no secret that concussions are a major problem in all levels of sports today. In part due to recent media attention, efforts aimed at decreasing the number and severity of concussions have been adopted. Such measures include penalties for blows to the head in football, mandating physician clearance prior to return to play, and improving the education…
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