Concussions, Head Trauma and CTE

From the desk of Jerome Gronli, MDJerome Gronli,  MDSports participation offers many tremendous benefits for children and adolescents. Regular participation in sports can help maintain and improve physical health, has important cognitive and emotional benefits, and provides wonderful opportunities for building friendships and camaraderie. At the same time, families sometimes have questions about issues related to sports participation. In recent years, there has been increasing awareness of the significance of concussions and repeated head trauma, including the risk of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative neurological disorder. Symptoms of CTE vary, but include important cognitive and emotional issues such as memory loss, confusion, mental fogginess, impaired judgement and impulse control, aggression, depression, anxiety, suicidality, Parkinson-type movement issues, and progressive dementia. Parents and families often have concerns about the long term effect of sports-related concussions. We have learned a great deal about concussions, and discussion about these injuries is an important part of school age and adolescent well checks and sports physicals.While concussions are certainly significant events that must be promptly recognized and appropriately treated, recent research suggests that a limited focus specifically on concussive injuries may present an incomplete picture of the risks of head trauma. With recent studies, has become increasi...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - Category: Pediatrics Tags: Healthy Habits Source Type: news