Young Athletes' Concussions Often Unreported: Report

By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 30 (HealthDay News) -- A "culture of resistance" pervasive in many youth sports often keeps athletes from reporting concussions and obtaining needed treatment, a new U.S. report finds.

This culture persists despite a growing understanding that all concussions cause some degree of brain injury, according to the report released Wednesday by the Institute of Medicine (IOM).

"We know that concussions are frequent and potentially serious," said IOM committee vice-chair Dr. Frederick Rivara, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.

Reviewing data on concussions suffered by 5- to 21-year-olds, the committee of independent experts found that reported concussion rates are higher among high school athletes than college players in sports such as football, men's lacrosse, soccer and baseball. And despite marketing hype, the committee found that current helmet designs provide little protection from concussions.

Tracey Covassin, an assistant professor of kinesiology at Michigan State University in East Lansing, said concussions may go unreported for a variety of reasons.

"There are still coaches and parents that think kids need to tough it out and continue to play, or if they don't tell anyone it will go away," said Covassin, who helped prepare the report.

Young athletes may also not know they have a concussion or realize the consequences of playing with a concussion, she noted.

"They may also think they may lose playing time and their starting position," Covassin said.

According to the report, concussions occur more often during games than in practice -- except in cheerleading -- and are most often suffered in football, ice hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, soccer and women's basketball.

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Young Athletes' Concussions Often Unreported: Report