Does my teen need to quit sports after three concussions?

[Anonymous]

My soccer-playing teen quit soccer after 2 concussions. She then ran cross country and did rowing. She'll always miss soccer but was able to find that outlet she needed playing sports with a very low risk of concussions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is one of those frustrating threads where people are just talking over one another.

Of course the child should not play lacrosse if that’s deemed medically necessary for his brain health.

But people are also saying that sports can be so important to a person’s mental health and well-being that it warrants speaking with a concussion expert to understand all the options/parameters.

Exactly. My daughter went to her pediatrician appointment last year. She had a lingering knee injury from a sport (not why we were there). Her pediatrician, who has otherwise been excellent, went into a detailed discussion on the importance of stretching. We just nodded. There are medical specialties for a reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One issue with concussions is that we don't truly recuperate from them for many reasons. We can have "concussive events," such as the loss of a loved one, that negatively affect our brain. When we don't adequately rest or nourish our body, then these concussions or concussive events can pile on one another and cause issues down the line.

Getting POTS after a concussion is just one of many possible negative scenarios:
https://coloradointegrativeneurology.com/neurological-health/have-you-suffered-since-a-concussion-you-might-have-pots/

If the doctor said to stop, I'd stop. Why would you not listen to the doctor about this?

It's terrible that they don't wear helmets in lacrosse to prevent this, and that should be changed to protect people's lives. Because people don't die, they don't do enough. However, having a life-long illness like POTS or other is serious.

Helmets don't prevent concussions, but yes I agree with following dr's advice. I don't get why you are posting, OP. If enough randos on DCUM tell you to carry on, you're going to follow their advice over your son's doctor?

And yes, having concussions lowers your threshold for future concussions. Ask me how I know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised by the poster who has had at least 2 TBIs from horseback riding. We have a friend who has had one and still deals with the impact quite a few years later; she must never get on a horse again.

TBIs are very serious.

That was me. TBIs have a range of seriousness. My two were very different (amnesia with the first, unconscious and seizures for 45 minutes with the second). I am still impacted and get residual headaches 20 years later.

I have had a very successful professional career in a mentally challenging field. I know many horse people who have done the same with similar injuries.

It’s just another sign of my drive and focus. I keep going through adversity, and that has served me well. I have no intentions of quitting, ever. But I am not scared of much, unlike most of DCUM.

Were you this insufferable and lacking in empathy and self-awareness before your TBIs? Or perhaps this is an after effect.

[Anonymous]

Swimming and concussions came up in the thread. Pools are concrete. Concrete can be slippery. Just an easy mis-step to a head injury. I know it is a long shot. But I a guarantee it has happened.
Concussions can happen anywhere. Be careful. After 10 major concussions I deal with the issues daily. Yes you can survive, but you become a different, more difficult being.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A concussion is a concussion. Absolutely he should be out of whatever sport is causing that rate of injury at only 15. Find a new sport.

It is a brain injury.

For sure he needs to drop the sport that he causing this.

Sorry, but damage is cumulative, and life is long.

Agreed. Get him out now. Ask ped if there is any treatments/therapies to address damage that’s already been done.

[Anonymous]

Is there a way he can change his position or something to reduce the risk? I hope he’s not goalie!

DD played competitive soccer for many years. Headers not allowed at younger ages and we decided not to allow her to do headers after that. (Shes not tall anyways so she wasn’t going to win any headers and it’s best to control the ball.)

[Anonymous]

This seems to be a revived old thread. I suspect when enough people see the impact of CTE up close like I have with a friend who was a football and wrestling star in high school and college, it will be a "no-brainer" to stick to safer sports, especially if your kid already got a concussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This seems to be a revived old thread. I suspect when enough people see the impact of CTE up close like I have with a friend who was a football and wrestling star in high school and college, it will be a "no-brainer" to stick to safer sports, especially if your kid already got a concussion.

Most people do risk assessment and are aware of the possible negative outcomes. We drive even though we know people who have died from it. We drink even though we know it raises our risk of cancer. We eat crappy food despite knowing about heart disease and diabetes.

And that’s because most people can do these things without experiencing the dire consequences. We know lots of people who played football and other physical sports and don’t have CTE. It’s scary to see it—but it’s also impossible to avoid risk in life. So we try to do our best: minimize risk here and there but only in places where it doesn’t destroy our quality of life.

It’s not black and white.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He needs his brain for the rest of his life. Lacrosse not so much. There is your answer.

This is my thinking. What is so important about this one particular sport? What's it going to get him other than life long brain injury?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He needs his brain for the rest of his life. Lacrosse not so much. There is your answer.

This is my thinking. What is so important about this one particular sport? What's it going to get him other than life long brain injury?

You should see how obsessed they are about volleyball, soccer and lacrosse over on the sports forum. As you point out, by the time they are 22-23, they won't be doing these things in all likelihood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A concussion is a concussion. Absolutely he should be out of whatever sport is causing that rate of injury at only 15. Find a new sport.

It is a brain injury.

For sure he needs to drop the sport that he causing this.

Sorry, but damage is cumulative, and life is long.

It is misinformation like this that drives me nuts. One can build on another but that depends on the closeness to when it happened and what happened. It is also not life long in almost all cases. In almost every one there is complete healing.

An issue is if they come before the prior one has completely healed and then another and then another. But we do not have enough facts here.

OP -- I would not rely on your kid's regular doctor at all for this. You need to go to a specialist. There are several out there but INOVA has a sports medicine practice that focuses on this. You need advice. They may say that DC should drop the sport. They may say there is continuing damage. But they also may say no issue because they were spaced far apart and had healed. They can also take a base line so if there is anything in the future they can determine if there is damage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This seems to be a revived old thread. I suspect when enough people see the impact of CTE up close like I have with a friend who was a football and wrestling star in high school and college, it will be a "no-brainer" to stick to safer sports, especially if your kid already got a concussion.

Most people do risk assessment and are aware of the possible negative outcomes. We drive even though we know people who have died from it. We drink even though we know it raises our risk of cancer. We eat crappy food despite knowing about heart disease and diabetes.

And that’s because most people can do these things without experiencing the dire consequences. We know lots of people who played football and other physical sports and don’t have CTE. It’s scary to see it—but it’s also impossible to avoid risk in life. So we try to do our best: minimize risk here and there but only in places where it doesn’t destroy our quality of life.

It’s not black and white.

CTE is not common even in pro football players. It happens. Too much. But it is not common.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This seems to be a revived old thread. I suspect when enough people see the impact of CTE up close like I have with a friend who was a football and wrestling star in high school and college, it will be a "no-brainer" to stick to safer sports, especially if your kid already got a concussion.

Most people do risk assessment and are aware of the possible negative outcomes. We drive even though we know people who have died from it. We drink even though we know it raises our risk of cancer. We eat crappy food despite knowing about heart disease and diabetes.

And that’s because most people can do these things without experiencing the dire consequences. We know lots of people who played football and other physical sports and don’t have CTE. It’s scary to see it—but it’s also impossible to avoid risk in life. So we try to do our best: minimize risk here and there but only in places where it doesn’t destroy our quality of life.

It’s not black and white.

CTE is not common even in pro football players. It happens. Too much. But it is not common.

It's true that this is not a representative sample--these players all gave their brains to the brain bank, and many of them did that because they suspected they had CTE. But the available data does not suggest that CTE is "not common". https://www.bumc.bu.edu/camed/2023/02/06/researchers-find-cte-in-345-of-376-former-nfl-players-studied/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This seems to be a revived old thread. I suspect when enough people see the impact of CTE up close like I have with a friend who was a football and wrestling star in high school and college, it will be a "no-brainer" to stick to safer sports, especially if your kid already got a concussion.

Most people do risk assessment and are aware of the possible negative outcomes. We drive even though we know people who have died from it. We drink even though we know it raises our risk of cancer. We eat crappy food despite knowing about heart disease and diabetes.

And that’s because most people can do these things without experiencing the dire consequences. We know lots of people who played football and other physical sports and don’t have CTE. It’s scary to see it—but it’s also impossible to avoid risk in life. So we try to do our best: minimize risk here and there but only in places where it doesn’t destroy our quality of life.

It’s not black and white.

CTE is not common even in pro football players. It happens. Too much. But it is not common.

It’s impossible to say how common it is because it is a pathological diagnosis. It can only be determined with a tissue sample. The PP who had tons of concussions from horseback riding with pristine MRIs can’t say they don’t have CTE without a tissue sample.

This is all about acceptable risk. Perhaps nfl players accept the risk of CTE with the trade off of their love of playing, a career, and a salary. And perhaps even young people who never went pro and died before the age of 50 accept the risk with the trade off of their love of playing. I wouldn’t though, and I think many other people wouldn’t either if they understood the risks.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/11/16/us/cte-youth-football.html?unlocked_article_code=1.XE4.mXx7.eOrxJPHeK80v&smid=url-share