The National Football League is admitting a connection between football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. And now the question of protecting young athletes from concussions is once again a main topic of discussion.
CTE is a progressive degenerative brain disease, caused by multiple hits to the head.
“Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, that’s why they say CTE, it’s a whole mouthful. It’s been found in these football players who have had multiple, multiple hits to the head. But the truth is these changes can be occurring even when they are much younger.”
Adam Breiner, doctor of family medicine at the NueroEdge Brain Performance Center in Fairfield Connecticut, says parents and coaches should be aware of their child’s symptoms when they receive a concussion.
“Well, rest is the first thing. That’s kind of the standard of care, and what people say is to just to rest. So, it’s not doing any in-depth cognitive exercises, not watching TV, not going to school, staying off the phone, and keeping in a calm environment. ”
If someone is recovering from a concussion, Dr. Breiner suggests taking the victim to a neurologist to receive Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, which helps the body and brain get the oxygen it needs to reduce inflammation from a concussion. Breiner also says the cognitive training Neurofeedback can help stabilize the brain after a concussion.
According to the 2013 report from the Utah Department of Health’s Violence and Injury Prevention Program, more than a third (35.9%) of people who had a concussion say they had symptoms of a concussion and never told anyone. More than one in six (16%) said they were told by a doctor that they had a concussion or symptoms of a concussion. 15.3% reported they were removed from play by a coach because a concussion was suspected.
