Legislators look closer at traumatic brain injuries.

Courtesy Neuroscience.Tumblr.Com

Sports serve several functions in contemporary American society. They bring us together through the camaraderie in competition. They keep us fit and even help us take out our aggression.

But imagine being on a football field. In front of you stands a team of young, husky football players — all of whom are just as eager as you are to take home the victory and are willing to pummel you to do it. What happens when a player initiates a helmet-to-helmet collision, causing you to get a concussion?

Injuries that were once accepted as part of the game have begun attracting the attention of congressional leaders. Illinois Representative Janice Schakowsky and other members of the House of Energy and Commerce subcommittee met with professors, neuroscientists, physicists and Ian Heaton March 13 to discuss improving sports safety, preventing traumatic brain injuries, and the ever-present misunderstanding of the condition.  

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that interrupts the normal function of the brain, according to the Center for Disease Control. In 2010, 2.5 million TBI’s occurred either alone or with other injuries, the CDC reported. TBI’s can affect a person’s cognitive functions such as memory, reasoning, communication and senses, according to the CDC.

Contrary to previous studies, the results of a study published in BioMed Central Feb. 26 indicated that TBI during a significant phase in cognitive development at pre-school age seemed not to impair functional and psychological long-term outcome compared to elder children or adults. 

Of course that doesn't mean you should let young kids jump off the couch. But if they do, they have a better chance of recovering than if your teens did the same thing.

As of yet, there seems to be no uniformity in laws to address the problem among American teens. According to a June 2013 article in the American Journal of Public Health, 44 states put youth sports TBI laws in place, most of which focus on secondary prevention of TBI’s and vary on whether a health professional has to have a training in identifying TBI’s.

After an hour and 20 minutes of discussion, the committee concluded that there needs to be more research on the subject and the safety of children must be taken seriously. Where we need to go from here was not quite clear.

“Hopefully this increased focus will lead to better research, better safety equipment, detection and of course prevention,” said Mississippi Rep. Greg Harper. “We love our children going through sports  ... and we wouldn’t want anybody hurt that shouldn’t be hurt.”