Brain injuries have been termed a “silent epidemic.” A brain injury is silent because a brain-injured person does not always have visible physical symptoms. It is an epidemic because brain injuries are becoming more and more common, with one in every 220 people in the United States suffering from a brain injury. For this week’s discussion, you will evaluate different types of brain injuries and their impact on the individual affected.
You can read the following article for additional information:
Ling, H., Hardy, J., & Zetterberg, H. (2015). Neurological consequences of traumatic brain injuries in sports. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. Article in Press.
In this week’s discussion, respond to the following questions, and then throughout the week respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts:
- Brain injuries are categorized as either acquired or traumatic. What is the difference between these two categories? What are some examples of each injury?
- What are the types of brain injuries that occur in high-impact sports?
- Choose one traumatic brain injury (TBI) and describe how it affects the brain. What is the long-term impact of this injury?
- What do you think should be done to protect professional players from TBIs? Would you recommend the same interventions for amateur players? Why or why not?
- Based on what you have learned this week, how would you advise a friend about their child’s participation in junior league football?
