Daily HealthBeat Tip - September 06, 2007

Keep your head in the game

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Sports and recreation activities are fun, but kids still can get hurt. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says almost 135,000 children and teenagers are treated each year in emergency departments for traumatic brain injury, such as concussion, that they got while playing.

A CDC study says most brain injuries came from things kids most commonly do, including bicycling, football, basketball, playground activities, and soccer.

CDC’s Dr. Julie Gilchrist says kids need to have time to heal after a concussion.

"TBIs can cause a wide range of changes in how the brain works, and it can affect thinking, language, learning, emotions and even behavior – and this is important in growing children." (10 seconds)

A CDC tool kit called Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports helps coaches, administrators, parents and athletes prevent, recognize and respond to concussion.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: September, 06 2007