ABC 7 Medical: High School Football Concussions
posted 5:50 pm Mon September 03, 2007 -
-WJLA Script-
Anchor:
A NEW STUDY CONDUCTED BY LOCAL DOCTORS FINDS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYERS ARE AT GREATER RISK THAN BOTH COLLEGE AND PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS TO SUSTAIN SERIOUS HEAD INJURIES, BUT THERE ARE WAYS TO PROTECT THE PLAYERS.
MEDICAL REPORTER KATHY FOWLER TELLS US ALL ABOUT IT.
Kathy on camera:
THIS NEW STUDY SHOWS THAT CONCUSSIONS PUT PLAYERS AT RISK FOR CATASTROPHIC HEAD INJURIES, WHICH, ALTHOUGH RARE, CAN CAUSE PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE.
THAT'S WHY DOCTORS SAY IT'S IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY IF PLAYERS GET A CONCUSSION AND THEN MAKE SURE THEY DON'T PLAY CONTACT SPORTS FOR AT LEAST A WEEK.
Story:
FOOTBALL - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT WHERE PLAYERS ARE GUARANTEED TO GET BANGED UP. BUT TONIGHT, A NEW STUDY CONDUCTED BY A LOCAL DOCTOR SHOWS THAT CONCUSSIONS CAN LEAD TO GREATER RISK - LIKE CATASTROPHIC HEAD INJURIES, WHICH IS THREE TIMES MORE COMMON IN HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS THAN THEIR COLLEGE PEERS.
Dr. Barry Boden, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital:"There are several possibilities - the first is that the younger brain is more susceptible to a severe injury."
DR. BODEN SAYS ANOTHER REASON HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS MIGHT BE AT GREATER RISK - MANY SCHOOLS "DON'T" REQUIRE DOCTORS OR ATHLETIC TRAINERS BE PRESENT FOR PRACTICES OR GAMES AND CONCUSSIONS MAY BE MISSED.
Dr. Barry Boden: "We need to make sure that if a player has a concussion that they get medical attention. We need to make sure that the players are not returning to play too soon again the coaches the parents the athletes they all have to take this problem very seriously."
Joe Reyda, Gonzaga High School Athletic Director: "We've had concussions."
GONZAGA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC DIRECTOR JOE REYDA SAYS THE SCHOOL HAS A TRAINER ON HAND AT ALL TIMES . AND FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR, THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING A PROGRAM TO HELP DETECT CONCUSSIONS AND THEN MONTIOR RECOVERY.
BEFORE ANY GONZAGA FOOTBALL PLAYER STARTED PRACTICING THEY HAD TO TAKE AN ON-LINE TEST THAT RECORDS A BASELINE OF NEUROLOGIC SKILLS. PLAYERS SUSTAINING HEAD INJURIES WILL REPEAT THE TEST TO HELP IDENTIFY THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE INJURY AND TO HELP DETERMINE WHEN THEY'VE RECOVERED.
Joe Reyda, Gonzaga H.S. Football Coach: "We're not only going to use it for football, but we are going to use it for other contact sports - like hockey and lacrosse
Dr. Barry Boden: "One of my suggestions in this report is the day before the game is anyone having any neurologic symptoms - if so, you need to see a doctor before playing in the game."
Kathy on camera:
RECENT STUDIES HAVE ALSO LINKED CONCUSSIONS TO DEPRESSION IN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYERS.
TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ON THE SYMPTOMS OF CONCUSSIONS, CLICK HERE.
© 2007 WJLA-TV
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The 'RUNNING MAN' icon is a registered trademark of America Online, Inc.
ABC 7 News to leave comments on news stories.