By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay reporter
WEDNESDAY, May 5, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Almost one in four American teenagers has had at least one concussion, according to new research.
And although more young people report sport-related problems themselves, visits to the emergency room because of these traumatic head injuries fell between 2012 and 2018.
“One reason that might explain why teenagers who exercise had an increase in self-reported concussions could be because they were more aware of these types of injuries,” said study author Philip Veliz. He is a research fellow at the University of Michigan’s School of Nursing at Ann Arbor.
For the study, his team looked at nearly 53,000 students in grades 8, 10, and 12 and found that self-reported concussions increased between 2016 and 2020. In 2016 in particular, 19.5% of adolescents reported having experienced at least one concussion ;; By 2020, that number had risen to 24.6%, the results showed.
“Self-reported concussions could increase as both children and parents know more about these injuries,” Veliz said. “We have made a greater effort in the United States to educate the population about the risks associated with head injuries and we may have a better understanding of the symptoms associated with these types of injuries.”
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However, the self-reported concussion did not increase in all groups. For example, there was no increase in teenagers who did not exercise.
According to Veliz, these new findings don’t contradict studies based on emergency room data that have reported a decrease in these types of injuries.
“There may be more teenagers seeking treatment for these injuries, including outside emergency room care from health professionals who have adequate diagnostic and management skills,” Veliz said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes a concussion as a type of brain injury that occurs when a blow to the head or body causes the head and brain to move back and forth quickly and changes in the brain cause.
While they may not be life threatening, the effects can still be severe. Symptoms can include headache, neck pain, nausea, ringing in the ears, dizziness, or tiredness. More serious symptoms include convulsions or fits, inability to wake up, and loss of consciousness, according to the US National Library of Medicine.
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Large sports organizations, including those that regulate youth sports in the United States, have taken steps in recent years to reduce the risk of concussions.
Veliz said it was important that the public be informed about these injuries and the best ways to prevent and treat them, given the increasing reports of adolescent concussions.
“Concussions seem to be a common injury among teenagers. Roughly one in four has reported this type of injury,” Veliz said. “Continued efforts to educate people about both the risk and management of these injuries should remain a priority when it comes to adolescent health.”
Dr. Teresa Murray Amato, director of emergency medicine at Long Island’s Jewish Forest Hills in New York City, reviewed the results. She said increasing concussion awareness in adolescent athletes is important to staying healthy.
“It’s unclear whether the actual number of concussions is increasing, or if better education and awareness of what concussion symptoms are occurring leads to increased self-reporting,” Amato said.
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She noted that many school districts are educating students and parents about the risk of not reporting symptoms.
“As we learn more about the long-term side effects of concussions in children, it is important to track both the increase in the number of concussions and self-reporting,” Amato said.
Reporting of concussions could lead to ways being developed to keep athletes in tip-top shape, she added.
“Increased self-reporting can also help public health officials and school officials put in place safeguards to keep student athletes as healthy as possible while they participate in organized sports that are at high risk for concussions,” Amato said .
The results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on May 4th.
The researchers stressed that more effort is needed to monitor and prevent concussions. One limitation of the study was the use of self-reported concussion measures.
More information
To learn more about concussions, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
SOURCES: Philip Veliz, PhD, Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan’s School of Nursing, Ann Arbor; Teresa Murray Amato, MD, chairperson, Emergency Medicine, Long Island Jewish Forest Mountains, New York City; American Medical Association Journal, May 4, 2021
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