Table Of ContentKIDS, SPORTS, AND CONCUSSION
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KIDS, SPORTS, AND
CONCUSSION
A Guide for Coaches and Parents
Second Edition
William Paul Meehan III, MD
Foreword by Lyle J. Micheli, MD
The Praeger Series on Contemporary Health and Living
Julie K. Silver, MD, Series Editor
Copyright © 2018 by William Paul Meehan III, MD
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission
in writing from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Meehan, William P., III (William Paul), author.
Title: Kids, sports, and concussion : a guide for coaches and parents /
William Paul Meehan III, MD; foreword by Lyle J. Micheli, MD.
Description: Second edition. | Santa Barbara, California : Praeger, an imprint
of ABC-CLIO, LLC, [2018] | Series: The Praeger series on contemporary
health and living | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017047051 (print) | LCCN 2017047322 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781440858031 (ebook) | ISBN 9781440858024 (print : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Sports injuries in children. | Brain—Concussion. | Child athletes—
Wounds and injuries. | Teenage athletes—Wounds and injuries.
Classification: LCC RC1218.C45 (ebook) | LCC RC1218.C45 M44 2018 (print) |
DDC 617.1/027083—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017047051
ISBN: 978-1-4408-5802-4 (print)
978-1-4408-5803-1 (ebook)
22 21 20 19 18 1 2 3 4 5
This book is also available as an eBook.
Praeger
An Imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC
ABC-CLIO, LLC
130 Cremona Drive, P.O. Box 1911
Santa Barbara, California 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
This book is printed on acid-free paper
Manufactured in the United States of America
For Marie, Billy, Fionnuala, and Connor
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Contents
Foreword by Lyle J. Micheli, MD ix
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction xv
1. What Is a Concussion? 1
2. Sport-Related Concussion: How Common It Is 19
3. Risk Factors for Concussion: What Factors Are Associated with
an Increased Risk of Sustaining a Concussion or Suffering
a Long Recovery? 31
4. Sports Equipment: Helmets, Mouth Guards, and
Concussion Prevention 37
5. New Medical Information: Why Concussion Is Taken
So Seriously Now 47
6. “Neuropsychological” or “Neurocognitive” Testing:
What It Is and Which Athletes Should Have It 59
7. The Acute Assessment and Management of Sport-Related
Concussion: What Happens When an Athlete Sustains a
Concussion 67
8. Potential Therapies: What Can Be Done to Help
an Athlete Recover 87
9. Assessing Recovery from Concussion: When Is It Safe
for an Athlete to Return to Sports ? 103
10. The Ethical Considerations of Sports Participation: Should
Children Be Allowed to Play a Sport That Carries a High-Risk
of Concussion? 117
viii Contents
11. Prevention: Ways to Prevent an Athlete from
Sustaining a Concussion 129
12. The Cumulative Effects of Concussion: How Many Is Too Many? 137
13. Preventing Long-Term Problems: Considering Whether
the Cumulative Effects of Concussion Can Be Prevented 147
14. The Female Athlete: Are Girls and Boys Different When
It Comes to Concussion? 153
15. Setting Up a Concussion Program 157
16. The Future: What Medical Research May Lead to in the Future 165
17. In Their Own Words: Athletes from the Sports Concussion
Clinic of Boston Children’s Hospital 177
18. Definitions and Team Members: Understanding Who Will
Help Care for the Athlete with a Sport-Related Concussion 187
Appendix 197
Series Afterword, Julie K. Silver, MD 211
Index 213
Foreword
I am very pleased to introduce Dr. Bill Meehan’s parents’ and coaches’ guide to
sports-related concussions.
Such a book is long overdue. A true health crisis is emerging as we in the
sports medicine field come to understand that far too many concussions are
occurring on the sports field. What is even more disturbing is that this very
dangerous injury is often not reported or is underreported. The short- and
long-term implications of concussion injuries are not fully appreciated, and as
a result, they are often managed in an inadequate fashion.
Dr. Meehan’s book is the first book for parents on this subject. In this
excellent resource, you will find information that clarifies the extent of the
concussion problem, signs you can use to recognize concussions in your own
child, and proper guidelines for management, monitoring, and safe return to
play for the young athlete.
Although sports medicine is a relatively young discipline, there is a growing
awareness of how important it is that injuries sustained by athletes receive
focused assessment and management. Injuries to young athletes are of particu-
lar concern. In addition to how we diagnose and treat these injuries, there is a
particular emphasis now on injury prevention .
Nowhere is this more important than in sports injuries to the brain. Unlike
other anatomical areas such as our bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons,
our brain tissue has relatively limited ability to heal and repair itself. If not
recognized and treated early on, repeated injuries to the brain can result in
lasting and permanent damage. And of course, above and beyond all other
tissue in our body, the brain plays a fundamental role in our ability to function
as human beings.
All this makes it imperative that we focus on early recognition and diagnosis
of concussion injuries, especially in our children, who depend on us for their
safety. Furthermore, everyone in the sports environment—parents, coaches,
team officials, and athletes—must combine their efforts to find and implement
the most effective means of preventing injuries to the young athlete’s brain.
