Concussions need to be taken seriously

By Geoffrey Lauer

Got my bell rung; bonked my noggin; got clocked; got TKO'd; aw stars; faded out; lost consciousness ... . No matter what you call it, having an injury to the brain is best avoided whenever possible.

A recent NFL study, conducted by the University of Michigan, adds to the growing body of evidence that sports-related mild brain injuries are often anything BUT mild, and that a concussion IS a brain injury.

The report showed NFL players with a rate of memory-related diseases 19 times higher than comparable non-NFL players.

While too late for Mick Tingelhoff, Pete Pihos, Joe Perry, John Mackey, the late Jim Ringo and dozens of other former NFL players who have suffered from dementia or Alzheimer's, this report challenges the culture that denies long-term consequences related to many contact sports.

All of us charged with care for our youth should be reminded that the impact of sports-related concussion is significant. This is especially true for those at the sidelines with our athletes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that as many as 3.8 million sports and recreation concussions occur in the United States each year. In Iowa, the number is more than 35,000. That is more than 95 per day. Many of these are in our local stadiums under the Friday night lights.

Parents should ask and demand that their coaches, trainers, and school nurses refer to the following CDC action plan for suspected concussion.

If you suspect that a player has a concussion, you should take the following steps:

1. Remove athlete from play.

2. Ensure athlete is evaluated by an appropriate health care professional. Do not try to judge the seriousness of the injury yourself.

3. Inform athlete's parents or guardians about the known or possible concussion and give them facts on concussion.

4. Allow athlete to return to play only with permission from an appropriate health care professional.

View and download a free tool kit on Concussion for High School Coaches at http://www.

cdc.gov/Traumatic

BrainInjury/coachestoolkit.html

For information about concussion and brain injury, contact the Brain Injury Association of Iowa at www.biaia.org

Geoffrey Lauer of Burlington is executive director of the Brain Injury Association of Iowa.