With sports related concussions rising, parents should be aware of issues, signs and risks

File photo from The Republican

Football season has arrived and New England has a rich history of  fans who embrace the sport, cheering at little league games for Mason Square's 5A players to braving rain and cold to support  area high school and college teams.

So how does football and health care news relate? In recent weeks, the spotlight has been placed on the safety of football, particularly for our young people, with breaking news on the rising rate of sports-related concussions.

A new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and a study that appears in the September issue of Pediatrics examining sports-related concussions in children and adolescents revealed that the number of young children treated in hospital ERs for concussions occurred while playing on sports teams has doubled within the past decade.If that's not alarming enough, researchers say the rate among younger athletes, as early as 8-years-old, is significant and rising.The study represents the first attempt to document the national incidence of sports-related concussions among children in elementary and middle school, according to national news reports.

The study looked at an analysis of data from hospital emergency departments across the nation and revealed that:

• Roughly half a million ER visits for concussions occurred among 8- to 19-year-olds between 2001 and 2005.
• About half were sports-related, and 40% of sports-related concussions involved children between the ages of 8 and 13.
• Football and ice hockey were the organized sports with the most concussion injuries, and snow skiing, bicycling, and playground iinjuries accounted for the most concussions occurring from non-team-related activities.

So exactly what is a concussion and what are its symptoms? A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury that is caused by an impact or jolt to the head. The symptoms include:

• Confusion
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Ringing in the ears
• Nausea
• Slurred speech
• Fatigue
• Memory or concentration problems

While many of us in this area are big football fans and want to support our young athletes, we have to be mindful that their health and well-being take precedent over the game.Parents and caregivers need to be proactive about making sure their child has the right sports gear, from helmet to cleats. Equally as important, parents need to make sure their child's coach has our youth's best interest at heart, on and off the field.