Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI's) in Adults and Children

Attention for traumatic brain injury has grown over the years and programs have been created to help try and prevent the injuries. As this is an injury to the brain the literature is vast with insight into what part of the brain injured resulted in what change in the individual. Children and athletics have been the main focus in recent years for studies as research have shown that undiagnosed injuries can have long lasting effects.

Concussions occur on a large scale in football. During a concussion, the head can experience a blow directly or can have whiplash. When the head is hit, the brain hits the inside of the skull, giving it a temporary bruise. This bruise or tearing of the brain can lead to mental impairments that can affect a person’s emotional state of being, physical problems like deteriorated mobility and sensitivity to light and sound. Doctors are quick to point out one of the major reasons that youth receive concussions, saying, “... children have big heads relative to the rest of their bodies and weak necks… that elevates the risk of concussions,” (P6). Along with a lack of education and care for the protection of athletes, youth are already at a huge risk. When children wear their football helmets, they are saving themselves from many injuries that could have occurred without them, most especially protecting the brain. But, in many cases, this is not enough.

There are a countless number of students in high school and college throughout all of the U.S. that participate in sports and physical activities. High school sports are a fun and enjoyable way for young adults to compete and play in an organized setting. Many of these sports involve a copious amount of risk for injury. There are preventative measures to a certain extent in most sports to limit the risk of injury as much as possible. There are an umpteen number of injuries that one can sustain during the participation of sports. One of these injuries that should be put on the radar is the concussion. Concussions and serious brain injuries

More than 300,000 sports-related concussions are reported each year in the United States, and although the awareness of concussions and other head injuries is rising, concussions are still very dangerous to young athletes. Some may say that after an athlete receives a concussion, they just have to wait until the obvious, and most common symptoms like dizziness and nausea subside before they can play again; with medication, and constant rest, this may only take 2 weeks, however, depending on the severity of the injury, there could be some other underlying symptoms that are even more dangerous than the obvious ones. After a having a concussion, student athletes are also much more prone to a second, more severe, traumatic head injury (especially

Concussions or mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI) are the most common forms of traumatic brain injury. There are between 1.6 and 3.8 million concussions a year that occur due to sports and recreation accidents alone (CDC). Mild concussions and MTBIs were once thought to be insignificant in terms of consequences. However, there now is significant evidence that neurological even with what is thought to be a mild injury, physiological, and cognitive changes can occur. Individuals sustaining mild brain injuries often report an assortment of physical, cognitive, and emotional/behavioral symptoms referred to as post concussion syndrome (PCS). There are many symptoms associated with PCS, but these symptoms are often mistaken as behavior, mood, and/or adjustment disorders.

In 2006, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that approximately 1.6 million to 3.8 million sport-related concussions occur each year in the United States (Langois, Rutland-Brown, & Wald, 2006). Sport-related concussions are a subset of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and are defined as a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain (McCrory et al., 2012). The typical signs and symptoms associated with a concussion include confusion, amnesia, headache, dizziness, nausea, loss of balance, and/or poor concentration (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).

With the growth of contact sports, such as football, hockey and wrestling, neurologists have seen a shocking rise in the number of reported concussions. Perhaps the greatest increase of SRCs have been seen in adolescents participating in organized team sports. In a 10-year span, emergency department visits for 8 to 13-year-old children doubled, while 14 to 19-year-olds nearly tripled (McCrea, Nelson and Janecek, 2014). The actual number of these concussions are thought to be higher than reported because the inclination of athletes to not recognize this injury.

The skull of human body holds the most valuable organ, the brain. This is the control center of the body. It is evident that injury to the brain is life threatening in many ways. One specific injury that is becoming more prevalent in the United States is concussions. Particularly concussions are becoming very prevalent in young children, teens, and professional athletes. A study in July of 2016 shared that roughly 1.1 to 1.9 million concussions occur annually in the U.S. to children who are 18 and younger (Bryan, Rowhani-Rahbar, Comstock, & Rivar, 2016, p.1). Concussions can lead to traumatic brain injuries (TBI), which can lead to mortality (HEADS UP, 2016). Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shared that over 138 people die from TBI on a daily basis in the U.S. (HEADS UP, 2016). Public health is bringing awareness all over the U.S. to advocate prevention of concussions and make athletic events safer. Programs are being implemented to educate parents, coaches, and young athletes in hopes of concussion reduction. Concussions affect over 1.1 million American people yearly; this subject should not be taken lightly.

Concussions are becoming less of an issue due to better procedures and management. Many kids who are into contact sports will receive a concussion at some point in their career. This became a serious issue around the early 1990s and is now one of the most serious issues in today 's sports. The main concern is trying to know when kids are ready to get back onto the field. Coaches, doctors, and parents are getting worried about the safety of their kids and are skeptical about letting them continue in sports. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in children around the world and accounts for approximately half of all trauma deaths (Di et al. 2). Only about ninety-percent of traumatic brain injuries are considered mild injuries, but the effects from them are still severe. Traumatic brain injuries are any type of head injury such as concussions or even contusions. Most kids and their parents do not know the basic facts about traumatic brain injuries which is hurting them in the long run. However, doctors are aiming to improve diagnosis, treatments, outcomes in the long run, and trying to get adult familiar with the process so they can help their children as well.

The American Academy of Pediatrics estimated in a recent review that up to 3.8 million recreation and sports related concussions occur annually in the United States, although only 300,000 are reported each year (“Concussion,”2012). The brain of a young athlete is still developing, which makes them more vulnerable to the effects of a concussion compared to an adult (Halstead & Walter, 2010). The young athlete often neglects to report symptoms of concussion because they do not want to sit out of their sport. This places them at a higher risk for a longer recovery along with more serious consequences if they sustain a second concussion (Ahmann, 2013).

In today’s society, sports are the main highlight in the lives of youth, collegiate, and some adults. Many boys and girls have hopes and dreams of one day becoming a professional athlete. Many people are so involved in the love of the game, that they are unaware if the dangers their children are in. The most dangerous sport involves the lives of males. Over the past decade, many athletes have died or have brain problems because of so many hits to the head, causing them to have a concussion. Concussions damage the brain and create illnesses and diseases the are hard to get rid of. Although sports in all levels are deeply ingrained in the American society, football and hockey are riddled with head injuries and should be changed from the lowest levels through professional sports to lessen the devastating effects of concussions.

In recent studies, it has been found that concussions resulting from athletics are becoming increasingly dangerous while at the same time given less consideration. Sports related mild traumatic brain injuries in children have increased by sixty percent in the last decade. Approximately 173,285 cases of mild traumatic brain injuries relating to sports are treated each year in U.S. emergency departments (CDC).

Most people can agree that sports are deeply imbedded in America’s culture. But through the years, more concern is being raised about a specific injury that is becoming more common while playing a sport- traumatic brain injury (TBI). A traumatic brain injury arises from an external force, causing damage to brain tissue. Brain trauma from youth football and the levels beyond can have devastating long-term effects.

According to the department of Orthopedic Surgery, at Wayne State University, “Youth football programs across the United States represent an at-risk population of approximately 3.5 million athletes for sports related concussions” (Buzas 1). Despite these risks, it is easy for some parents get involved in the game and overlook the danger that their children are in. There are parents who do not realize the severity of effects a concussion can have, as there are parents who do not know exactly what a concussion is. In order to recognize how severe the effects of concussions are, the individual must first understand what a concussion is. According to Medicine.Net, a concussion is, “a traumatic injury to soft tissue, usually the brain, as a result of a violent blow, shaking, or spinning. A brain concussion can cause immediate but usually temporary impairment of brain functions, such as thinking, vision, equilibrium, and consciousness” (Medicine.Net). Concussions can increase in effect or cause permanent damage if not taken care of properly. Learning how to properly deal with concussions is essential for all ages; it is more crucial for youth football players because younger children are more susceptible to long-term risks from head injuries (Buzas 1).

Julie Stamm, a PhD in anatomy and neurobiology, proves with experimental data that athletes who play football prior the age of 12 have increased critical impairment in memory, flexibility, and intelligence (Moran). In contrast to adult athletes, children have heightened risk of long term neurological damage because the development of adolescent’s brain peaks at the age of 12, exposing the individual to a “window of vulnerability” (Moran). Throughout a brain’s development, the rates of myelination spike, blood flow to the brain increases, and neurons begin to communicate at a rapid speed, therefore severe head trauma can prohibit the development process. Additionally, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have estimated that between 1.6 million and 3.8 million sports-related concussions occur annually (Emmons), accounting for 5% of football injuries (Saal).