With Super Bowl 52 around the corner, concussion awareness is in the spotlight. A recent study, conducted by Dr. Ann McKee, examined 111 brains of former NFL football players and all but one had CTE. That is a rate of 99.1%. In addition to the 111 NFL brains that were studied, there were 91 other brains of former amateur football players examined. In total, of the 202 brains that were studied, a whopping 87% of them had CTE.
At Lerner and Rowe, dedicated attorneys meet with accident victims every day, and encourage individuals to learn about the effects of concussions and how best to prevent them.
What Causes CTE?
According to the Boston University’s CTE Center, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma (concussions). This includes symptomatic concussions, as well as asymptomatic subconcussive hits to the head that do not cause symptoms.
What is a Concussion?
The Mayo Clinic describes a concussion as “a traumatic brain injury that alters the way your brain functions. Effects are usually temporary but can include headaches and problems with concentration, memory, balance, and coordination.”
Concussion Diagnosis
A concussed person typically shows symptoms like a headache, loss of memory and confusion. However, some signs subtly present (fatigue, light sensitivity, sleep disorders, etc.). Often doctors miss diagnosing them because of this subtlety. In fact, nearly half of athletes report no symptoms at all after a blow to the head. The smartest choice: safety. Be safe with your and your child’s health.
CTE Diagnosis
CTE diagnosis only happens after a person’s death. It is recognized as an abnormal build-up of tau – a protein that can spill out of cells due to blunt force trauma and can choke off or disable pathways that control things such as memory, judgment, and fear.
As a Parent, What Can I Do?
- Don’t take a chance. Go to the doctor immediately after a hit to the head.
- Reconsider allowing your children to play contact sports until age 14.
- Talk with your children and make sure that they want to play for their sake.
- Know what your child’s sports league is doing to make the game safer.
- How often does the team have full-contact practices?
- Likelihood of a player removed from the field by coaches if concerned for the player’s safety.
- How aware and proactive are coaches and school officials in teaching proper tackling techniques?
- Don’t take chances with concussions. If you, a coach, or another adult is concerned that your child concussed, remove your child from the activity.
- Kids with previous concussions – or under suspicion of having a one – need to take time away from the game until the concussion symptoms disappear.
There is still a long way to go in the debate over concussions and CTE. For now, and the conversation must continue, conducting further research, and educating others about the severity of repeated head trauma. Contact us to learn more. Talk to us today. Come to our office or give us a call and find out how we can help you.