Trauma expert urges radical change

'We have to play safe' to halt trend

Dave Waddell, The Windsor Star

Published: Wednesday, February 20, 2013

"If it was so strong, I would expect FIFA to look into the topic in greater detail."

Chiet may soon have that research.


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"It's the head-to-head contact of two people jumping into the same space to get the ball," said Delaney, who supports Cantu's ideas on youth sport.



"Part of the reason we're seeing more concussions, beyond there being more recognition, is because players are playing more aggressively, more violently," said Tator, who added hockey produces the most concussion among children's sports in Canada. "There's still a preaching of violence by some TV commentators.

"We have to play safe otherwise will see a continuation of this trend."



A study released in January by the University of Oregon showed 24 high school athletes who had suffered concussions were still displaying cognitive deficits two months after they'd been injured. That's well beyond the 10 to 14 days most athletes sit out.

Cantu, who found 28 per cent of the 54 high-school athletes in his own study returned to competition too soon, said the main reasons are they see their heroes doing it, they have the feeling of invulnerability and they don't want to let their team down.

"We have six high-school-aged brains in our brain bank with CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy)," said Cantu, who wrote the first protocol on returning to play after a concussion.

"That means they suffered enough trauma to their brains in their preteen and teenage years to have CTE.

"That's a scary thought."

CTE is a brain disease with Alzheimer's or Parkinson-like symptoms that leads to premature death.


"We still don't know in the brain where a concussion has effect," Tator said. "We can't find where the symptoms emanate from. "There are no drug treatments for it that accelerate recovery or prevent the next one."


"If a kid has had three concussions, they probably should stop doing that sport," McLachlan said. "As a parent, after two, I'd probably say, 'I don't think so.'

"The worst medical cases tend to get the attention, but there's a lot of good news too. The good news is most people recover."


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