According to an article appearing in Orthopedics This Week, the Radiological Society of North America suggests that repetitive blows to the head, such as those suffered by school-aged football players, can result in changes to a child’s brain. The organization presented the study, entitled “Longitudinal Strain Measures of White Matter Tracts in Youth Football Players” at their 2018 annual meeting.
The Study
Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), researchers scanned the brain’s white-matter tracts of male football players averaging 12 years of age. These nerve-fiber bundles transmit information between parts of the brain. The scans, taken before and after football season, were compared to boys who did not engage in contact sports. Results show players developed changes to the corpus callosum—the band of nerve fibers which integrates motor, sensory, and cognitive functions.
A Move to Improve Safety Measures
Most football teams have protocols to remove players from the game when they show signs of a concussion. Unfortunately, many blows to the head fall below the concussion threshold. With this in mind, medical experts have increased their efforts to better-determine the long-term consequences of such hits in youth sports.
The Warning Signs of Brain Injury
Common symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) include blurred vision, dizziness, loss-of-balance, sensitivity to light or noise, nausea, vomiting, or headaches. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers guidelines for the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and management of children with mild TBIs. The guidelines are available here.
We Can Help.
If you or someone you love has suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury, contact Daggett Shuler Law for help. An experienced Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney can handle your entire case—and work to secure fair and just compensation for you.
If you have questions about a Traumatic Brain Injury claim, call Daggett Shuler at 800-815-5500. When you call, you will speak with a North Carolina Personal Injury Attorney absolutely FREE. We will investigate every detail of your situation at no cost to you—and fight hard to secure the benefits you deserve.
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