Student Athlete Concussions

A young student athlete in their prime is quick, nimble, aggressive, competitive, and a major part of the team. But what happens when the coach decides to put a concussed athlete into the game prematurely? Not only does it make the player more susceptible to further injuries, but it increases the chances of permanent brain damage, and even death. It is Imperative that student athletes are required to be monitored, and even completely healed from being concussed before returning to any sporting events. Both Fred Theye and Karla Mueller state in Article 1 that, "High school athletes are more vulnerable to concussions than older students and may take longer to recover," and that, "High school students are three times more likely to experience …show more content…
Currently there are laws in place preventing further injuries, and require medical professionals to review the student athlete's health before returning to play their sport, which can be found in Article 2. Unfortunately, these laws are not always followed and are also not in every state. In Article 2, written by Cindy Weiss, she states that a concussion is a trauma induced injury that can affect cognitive skills, and can also change one's mood and personality indefinitely or permanently. A concussion is a serious injury that can greatly impact someone's life. Student athletes should be completely healed before returning to play because it can affect their judgement, and change their behavior. Some students may deny symptoms of a concussion due to their dedication to the sport they play. To make matters worse, concussions are already hard to diagnose, like said in article three, and if the signs are missed, a second concussion can lead to permanent brain damage, or even death due to the brains increased vulnerability. Concussions are also cumulative and the results can have lasting affects up to thirty years. If an athlete is not completely healed, they are faced to deal with depression, dizziness, loss of memory, and other long term affects. They may even consider suicide, which will also negatively impact the people around …show more content…
If an athlete receives a head injury, such as a concussion, they should take the necessary precautions, be monitored closely, regardless of age or gender, and not return to their sport until fully healed. While there are new technologies and safety precautions put in place to protect student athletes, they do not fully eliminate the risk of concussions. Once more, these effects are both short-term and long-term. All athletes should be aware of the risks of playing their sport and be knowledgeable about concussions. As found in Article 3, the symptoms of a concussion include headaches, changing sleep patterns, dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, loss of consciousness, mood swings, memory loss, loss of concentration, and slow reaction time. As well as emotional distress, depression, slowing of some types of movement, and an increased possibility of suicide. If you are someone you know is experiencing a concussion, please seek immediate medical attention and follow the guidelines given to you by a medical professional