Concussions, which the Mayo Clinic defines as being “a traumatic brain injury that alters the way your brain functions,” don’t just happen to professional athletes; they are particularly common among children and youth.
According to Niagara Region statistics, in Niagara, most emergency room visits for concussions are in 10-19 year olds; more than 50 percent of brain injuries in youth are caused by participation in sports; and children and youth are six times more likely to experience a concussion in organized sports than other leisure physical activities.
School boards across Ontario are now mandated to have concussion programs in place to educate parents, students, teachers, and coaches about concussions and policies to manage them. Some sports clubs may be looking to do this, too.
Dr. Dawn Good, associate professor, psychology and Dr. Kathy Swayze, family physician with the Garden City Family Health Team Physicians and director of residency affairs at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University join the program to explore the topic of concussions and what can be done about them.
The safety of our children in sports is articulated in the “Recreation and Sports in Niagara” section contained within the Living in Niagara 2014: Critical Indicators for Reflecting on Life in Niagara report, produced by Niagara Connects.
In the Consider This podcast series researchers dissect issues and events happening all around us – from the end of our street to the other side of the globe – as a way of exploring how we can move forward in the face of these.
Podcast Series: Consider This – A Podcast Series Where Thoughts and Conversation Come Together
Hosted By: Barry Wright, Director, Niagara Community Observatory
Published By: BrockuResearch in partnership with Niagara Connects; brought to you by the federal government’s Research Support Fund
Date: November 2015
