Feb
26, 2013
I will probably lose whatever cool points I had for squealing, but considering the only reference I have that parallels checking up on what kids are saying about concussions is 21 Jump Street (no, not the movie)-- well, let’s just go with it that I am okay being a narc and hope I age as well as Johnny Depp.
Are you following your young athletes on Twitter? If not, you may not be aware of this hashtag, #concussionprobs. We all remember how facetious we were as kids, but it is 2013, with everyone sharing so much online there are a few more tools to stay abreast of what not-so-little ones are up to these days.
While high schools, universities, and state governments try to figure out effective regulations on concussions in youth sports, the best place to start awareness is at home. Current thinking leans toward research that kids take longer to recover from concussions that adults. That makes sense as some studies attribute neck strength with concussion risk.
Children’s bodies are not fully developed, so you see where this is a problem in youth sports.
A number of the tweets attached to this hashtag, are of complaints about activities kids can’t do because of a brain injury, but more worrisome are complaints of concussion symptoms because they are doing things they should not-- like using Twitter. Moreover, they may not have told their trainer, coach, or parents that they are suffering from concussions (but of course are fine telling all of Twitter ;-)
Go ahead and click the hashtag in this article and see for yourself. It may give you some insights on the attitude your kids have towards brain injury. I’d repost some of the tweets I’ve read, but I don’t want to be a total sellout.
And... don’t tell them I sent you.