Brain injuries in children can have tragic consequences

Quick links to other pages on this site | Still can't find it? see Site Index Football equipment companies are focusing attention on developing safer helmets for youth football players, but football isn't the only sport that puts children at risk for concussions and other brain injuries. Parents need to be aware of the signs of problems that can appear weeks or even months after an injury. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Former Chicago Bears defensive back Dave Duerson. Former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling. Former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau.

These are just a few of the former NFL players who have taken their own lives. All three were found to have signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative condition largely believed to result from repetitive blows to the head.

These are tragic examples of the long-term effects of brain injuries in sports. Are high school or middle school athletes without those long playing careers at risk for suicide and other mental health problems as well?

We have long feared that concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBI) could be more damaging for adolescents since their brains are still developing. A younger patient with a traumatic brain injury could be more likely to suffer repeat injuries and risk persistent headaches, memory loss and more.

A study published this month in the scientific journal Plos One suggests that parents have reason for concern about their children's mental health after traumatic brain injuries.

Researchers surveyed close to 5,000 students in grades 7-12 in Ontario, Canada. They asked each adolescent about his or her history of suffering a brain injury as well as a variety of questions designed to assess mental and emotional health. While the authors asked about all brain injuries and not just those occurring in sports, parents of young athletes should pay attention. Sports are thought to be a leading cause of TBI among adolescents in the United States.

Almost 20 percent of those adolescents reported suffering at least one TBI that caused either loss of consciousness for at least five minutes or required overnight hospital admission.

More worrisome were the relationships between those brain injuries and mental health and behavior. Students with prior TBIs were more likely to admit psychological distress, seek help from a crisis helpline or website, and take medications for anxiety or depression than those who had not suffered a brain injury.

The injured students were more likely to be bullied or cyber-bullied at school. They had greater chance of being threatened with a weapon than kids with no prior brain injury. Likewise, adolescents with a prior brain injury were far more likely to bully other students.

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Brain injuries in children can have tragic consequences