Hard Hitting

Rise in head injuries calls for more regulation

By Renee Skalarew

When Taylor Werner, 19, of Leesburg was 11, Mary Lou Werner recalls her energetic son “was the first out the door and last one in.” Taylor played soccer and football, and went through his sports physical “with flying colors.” In 2002, Taylor woke in excruciating pain and was transported by helicopter to Inova Fairfax Hospital. He experienced a spontaneous brain bleed causing blindness and permanent quadriplegic spasticity (involuntary movement, or jerking, of muscles). Mary Lou says Taylor survived only because he was physically fit. She continues, “It’s been a long haul with a brain injury. He still has spasticity, though he’s exercising all the time.”

Taylor’s Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) was not linked to playing sports, but the increasing numbers of brain injuries occurring on the field, ice and court have attracted attention from everyone, including government health agencies. In 2010, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimated 1.6-3.8 million sports- and recreation-related concussions occur in the United States every year. These brain injuries range from mild to severe, and some cause significant, serious health consequences. Currently, sports organizations, like the National Football League and National Hockey League, penalize players for certain types of “hard hits” known to cause head injuries.

On a local level, Mac Slover is concerned, too—he’s the director of sports for Alexandria’s Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities. Slover coaches a girls softball team and sits on the board of USA Football—with 23 clubs in Northern Virginia that include 8,000 kids. Asked about the rising number of concussions in youth sports, Slover answers, “It’s a big deal. From the city standpoint, we want to bring out awareness.” He’s always seeking improvements in headgear and requires coaches to be certified—training includes treatment of head injuries. The concussion problem was on his radar for years before it gained media attention: “I think because high-profile athletes have become injured multiple times, people are finally becoming aware. Serious injuries are coming out of concussions.”

Coaches and parents find getting kids to wear headgear is often a challenge. “Every two years I have our football helmets checked for cracks and padding. But helmets in youth baseball, and face masks, are not mandated yet. Kids don’t want to wear them,” states Slover. “But on my girls softball team, I make it mandatory. The kids get used to it. They can see through it. I tell them it’s a safety thing.”

BrainLine.org is a national organization in Arlington focused on preventing, treating and living with brain injuries. Victoria Youcha, BrainLine’s director, works with physicians, the military and sports groups to promote brain injury awareness. Youcha says parents and coaches shouldn’t trust an injured person’s evaluation of his or her own condition: “They’re the last people to make a decision about a brain injury. They don’t know if they’re fine.” Youcha also recommends kids with a concussion stay home from school until they have a doctor’s clearance: “These kids need cognitive rest and a graduated approach to exercise.”

Taylor kept up and graduated from Ashburn High School with support from family and friends. His mother advises, “Don’t give up hope. It’s one day at a time. Sometimes the progress is slow, but when you look back, little improvements turn out to be huge.”

Headed the Wrong Way

473,947 – number of emergency department visits for Traumatic brain injury made annually by children aged 0-14 years

Children aged 0-4 years and adolescents aged 15-19 years are most likely to sustain a TBI. TBI is a contributing factor in one-third of all injury-related deaths for all ages.

50 percent of head injuries in sports activities occur during bicycling or skateboarding.

Females are as likely as males to sustain a brain injury playing sports.

Children and teens take longer to recover from a concussion than adults .

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2010

Some possible signs of a concussion
• Headache
• Sleepiness, difficulty wakening
• Forgetfulness
• Mood changes
• Inability to concentrate on school or work
• Weakness, numbness, lack of coordination
• Vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Convulsions or seizure
• Persistent crying in babies and toddlers

(March 2011)