Student Athletes: The Dangers Of Concussions

A concussion is an trauma induced alteration in mental states that may or may not result in loss of consciousness. When an athlete encounters a trauma to the head they may have symptoms such as behavioral changes, mood disturbances, and even cognitive difficulties like paying attention or having difficulty making a judgement. Concussions should be taken seriously due to the risks that the athletes are facing. Allowing an athlete to resume their activity while having a head injury is a poor decision because the athlete already has encountered brain damage and it could get worse if injured again. Throughout the years student athletes become more prone to concussions due to the fact that they lack recognition that brain damage has occurred, and the reliability of self-reporting symptoms. Article 1 states that when an athlete's coach says "he had his bell rung" it can tell the athlete and the family that a concussion has occurred, but it is just part of the activity they are participating in and there is no need for concern. Athletes are mentally and physically focused on resuming play regardless of their health condition. In reality it needs to be taken seriously because there may not have been much …show more content…
The injury may not appear to be serious, but it can also lead to long term effects such as memory loss, or increase the possibility of suicide. This is why taking time off of the activity that the athlete is participating in when encountered with a trauma to the head is a good idea until fully recovered. Although there may be very few symptoms during the first concussion, making it appear to be minor, it could also result in more serious brain damage if injured again leading to horrific outcomes. According to article 4, females suffer from concussions at higher rates due to their head and neck