Football Head Injuries

[Harry Chappas]

If you play football and have a headache now, your parents run you to the doctor and you are out two weeks minimum. Doctors do not run tests initially unless the symptoms are more severe or prolonged. Diagnosing concussions are not scientific and the degree to a concussion vary.

 

A big problem with youth sports is the parents will get their kids into a sport and the kid may not like it, easy way out, I have a headache, off to the doctor, out two weeks. This happens more than you would like to think.

 

I know football is not safe but I also know that other sports are not. Maybe we are finding out now that our brains are not meant for the things we do to them via sports. Pop Warner and high school football has not changed as much as college and pro. The game is not faster the players are not bigger and concussions are not more prevalent. What is more prevalent is the knowledge of the symptoms and the managing of the recovery.

 

The concussion management science is becoming a big, big business and there is a part of me that believes they are preying on the uninformed and uneducated to concussions.

[southsider2k5]

So what if your kid was the next Peyton Manning?

 

You think it is your right to keep him from playing?

 

Is it worth being the next Payton Manning for 10 to 15 years, if the rest of your life is spent with scrambled eggs for brains, chronic and debilitating pain, and mental illness from your football days?

[southsider2k5]

I think that should be what we believe is best. While the researchers are finding the CTE and think there is a correlation to problems.

 

The research is mostly done with case studies that show retrospectively that people had CTE. Some players have had it others haven't. There currently is no causal effect of CTE and any behaviors. So before people overreact and ban everything, there needs to be real evidence.

 

That being said it's pretty obvious that multiple concussions are a bad thing. I think the general rule of multiple concussions with significant symptoms would definitely keep my kids out of "contact" sports.

 

Last I saw, the group hired to investigate brains of ex-football players said 18 of 19 autopsies brains had CTE. Do you as a professional have access to other studies that aren't as compelling for CTE? I'd be curious to hear if there is another side to this.

[Swingandalongonetoleft]

1, 2, & 7.

 

I've come to look at it as I do smoking- if you want to do it, I don't believe anyone should stand in your way. The fine print, though, is that because of what has come to light in the last 4 or 5 years, make damn sure you understand the consequences. Refrain from your changing your mind when you're 50 and senile- that's too late. I played football in high school, I'm grateful that it was only during my junior and senior year and that I saw less of the field than the guys who played all 4 years. A friend of mine had at least 3 (it was likely more) concussions just in the 2 years I was on the team. I don't think it would have been allowed today.

Edited December 19, 2013 by Swingandalongonetoleft

[Rowand44]

My 10 year old son has played tackle football for two years. He plays HB and DE, was co-Captain of his team this year, and IMHO, was a TD and sack machine who was one of the best 3 or so players on a squad that played for his league's championship.

 

He loves it, but I wish to hell he did not. I am very, very proud of him, but that Frontline episode was a game changer for me.

 

Ironically, in a reversal of gender stereotypes, my ex lives for his football, and I am just a worry wart, p**** who never played. Even if I were inclined to try to veto his playing (which would crush him), I would be shot down, and the issue would likely end up in litigation.

 

So I cross my fingers, pray, and open my mouth only to cheer for and support him.

My dad wouldn't let me play football when I was younger but my mom was fine with it. Granted, I think my dad just didn't want to mess with my basketball schedule but still.

[IlliniKrush]

In my original post, I state that I'm aware that other sports can offer the same types of things as football. But for me, football meant the most. I get that it's not the same for everyone. But don't tell me playing another sport would have been the same for me because I know that it wasn't. And I'm sure it would be that way for a lot of people.

 

I would never force my kid to do something he didn't want to. I plan on being like my Dad, who let us choose what we wanted to partake in, but once we started, we were finishing (at least for that season/event/whatever it was). If my son wants to play soccer, cool. I never played soccer and I suck at it. But I'd be damn happy as long as it's what he loves. But if all he wants to do is play football, then I'm going to give him that chance.

 

Anyway, I'm not sure any opinions are going to be changed here.

No one said football isn't fun.

 

As a parent, it's about are those fun experiences worth it after all the evidence and research you've seen? Fun outweighs the possible outcomes? Do you want to take that risk with your child?

 

That's the decision you have to make. No one's a bad parent because they don't let their kid play football. I'd say they're a good parent for protecting them, given everything we're seen and read.

[Rowand44]

Is it worth being the next Payton Manning for 10 to 15 years, if the rest of your life is spent with scrambled eggs for brains, chronic and debilitating pain, and mental illness from your football days?

How many qb's have had their brains scrambled? Serious question, I wonder how different the brain scramblage is in regards to position.

[iamshack]

Is it worth being the next Payton Manning for 10 to 15 years, if the rest of your life is spent with scrambled eggs for brains, chronic and debilitating pain, and mental illness from your football days?

Do you think that is what Peyton Manning or Tom Brady are going to be doing?

 

I don't.

[southsider2k5]

Do you think that is what Peyton Manning or Tom Brady are going to be doing?

 

I don't.

 

Except the odds are much, much greater that you end up with lasting injuries versus becoming the best QB in the history of the game.

[Rowand44]

Except the odds are much, much greater that you end up with lasting injuries versus becoming the best QB in the history of the game.

Once again though...as a qb? I'm interested to see if they have any data on that

 

Edit: talking about head injuries

Edited December 19, 2013 by Rowand44

[witesoxfan]

How many qb's have had their brains scrambled? Serious question, I wonder how different the brain scramblage is in regards to position.

 

Well Jim McMahon has such bad short-term memory that he will go from one room to the other to do something and forget what he was going to do by the time he reaches his destination on a regular basis. How much of that is CTE and how much is from drug use?

[Soxbadger]

No one said football isn't fun.

 

As a parent, it's about are those fun experiences worth it after all the evidence and research you've seen? Fun outweighs the possible outcomes? Do you want to take that risk with your child?

 

That's the decision you have to make. No one's a bad parent because they don't let their kid play football. I'd say they're a good parent for protecting them, given everything we're seen and read.

 

Im not sure that whether you let your kid play football is indication of good or bad parenting. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but my opinion (which you are not going to change) is that life is filled with terrible terrible tragedy. That life is very very sad and many times there is no reason. Good kids die due to random flukes that are entirely unpredictable. I will not deny my kid joy just because there is a chance that he may get injured and it could possibly hurt him in the future.

 

Otherwise where do I draw the line? I dont let him outside when Im not there to watch? I dont let him drive a car, I dont let him go in his friends car, I dont let him get on a plane, I make him wear gloves to school, etc etc.

 

To each their own.

[Soxbadger]

Well Jim McMahon has such bad short-term memory that he will go from one room to the other to do something and forget what he was going to do by the time he reaches his destination on a regular basis. How much of that is CTE and how much is from drug use?

 

And I believe he drank his fair share.

[southsider2k5]

Do you think that is what Peyton Manning or Tom Brady are going to be doing?

 

I don't.

 

Honestly I have not seen any breakdown by position.

[southsider2k5]

Im not sure that whether you let your kid play football is indication of good or bad parenting. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but my opinion (which you are not going to change) is that life is filled with terrible terrible tragedy. That life is very very sad and many times there is no reason. Good kids die due to random flukes that are entirely unpredictable. I will not deny my kid joy just because there is a chance that he may get injured and it could possibly hurt him in the future.

 

Otherwise where do I draw the line? I dont let him outside when Im not there to watch? I dont let him drive a car, I dont let him go in his friends car, I dont let him get on a plane, I make him wear gloves to school, etc etc.

 

To each their own.

 

You draw lines with your kids every day. Do you plan on letting them play with bleach and knives?

[StrangeSox]

Last I saw, the group hired to investigate brains of ex-football players said 18 of 19 autopsies brains had CTE. Do you as a professional have access to other studies that aren't as compelling for CTE? I'd be curious to hear if there is another side to this.

It was something like 45 of 46 in that Frontline episode. I believe it was the group based out of Boston University.

[iamshack]

Except the odds are much, much greater that you end up with lasting injuries versus becoming the best QB in the history of the game.

No, that's not what I am saying.

 

I guess what I am getting at has been stated more eloquently by others already; (full disclosure, I am NOT a parent) I guess I am hesitant to make arbitrary decisions about my children's future FOR them. I believe parents have the duty to protect their children, but that needs to be balanced against every child's opportunity to make his/her own life and legacy.

[Soxbadger]

You draw lines with your kids every day. Do you plan on letting them play with bleach and knives?

 

If you think that football is as dangerous as playing with bleach and knives that is your choice.

 

I dont. I find football to be closer to getting in car.

 

http://www.besthealthdegrees.com/health-risks/

 

[IlliniKrush]

Im not sure that whether you let your kid play football is indication of good or bad parenting. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but my opinion (which you are not going to change) is that life is filled with terrible terrible tragedy. That life is very very sad and many times there is no reason. Good kids die due to random flukes that are entirely unpredictable. I will not deny my kid joy just because there is a chance that he may get injured and it could possibly hurt him in the future.

 

Otherwise where do I draw the line? I dont let him outside when Im not there to watch? I dont let him drive a car, I dont let him go in his friends car, I dont let him get on a plane, I make him wear gloves to school, etc etc.

 

To each their own.

Let your kid play football, but don't make this stupid argument.

 

It isn't let kid play football

 

OR

 

Lock kid up in handcuffs and not let them do anything, since they can't play football.

 

You can let them do a lot of things. Football is probably one of, if not the, most dangerous thing you can let your kid do as far as future brain damage when considering a sport or hobby.

 

Me, I don't know how anyone can watch that PBS special, or read a lot of the research done, or even the stories out there, and let their kid play football.

 

It's all about risk involved. Is there the same risk getting on a plane as there is playing a lifetime of football? Of course not. Just because life is filled with tragedy, doesn't mean you can't take steps to try to minimize it. Do you wear our seat belt?

[southsider2k5]

No, that's not what I am saying.

 

I guess what I am getting at has been stated more eloquently by others already; (full disclosure, I am NOT a parent) I guess I am hesitant to make arbitrary decisions about my children's future FOR them. I believe parents have the duty to protect their children, but that needs to be balanced against every child's opportunity to make his/her own life and legacy.

 

It is not arbitrary. This is like smoking in the 1980s. We now have a pretty firm grasp on what we are talking about here.

[StrangeSox]

If you think that football is as dangerous as playing with bleach and knives that is your choice.

 

I dont. I find football to be closer to getting in car.

 

http://www.besthealthdegrees.com/health-risks/

 

Getting in a car is a pretty necessary part of daily life for most people, but playing football isn't. There's quite a bit of excluded middle between "football may be too dangerous for children to play" and "no child should ever do anything with any risk ever"

[IlliniKrush]

No, that's not what I am saying.

 

I guess what I am getting at has been stated more eloquently by others already; (full disclosure, I am NOT a parent) I guess I am hesitant to make arbitrary decisions about my children's future FOR them. I believe parents have the duty to protect their children, but that needs to be balanced against every child's opportunity to make his/her own life and legacy.

The issue is that 9 year old Timmy can't weight risk vs reward and understand the research and consequences of the whole thing. I see what you are saying, but sometimes parents have to make decisions for them.

 

If you think that football is as dangerous as playing with bleach and knives that is your choice.

 

I dont. I find football to be closer to getting in car.

 

http://www.besthealthdegrees.com/health-risks/

That's where we'll disagree. Even so, you'd probably tell your kid not to text and drive.

 

I also never said dying is the only risk, it's quality of life after the damage is done.

[IlliniKrush]

Getting in a car is a pretty necessary part of daily life for most people, but playing football isn't. There's quite a bit of excluded middle between "football may be too dangerous for children to play" and "no child should ever do anything with any risk ever"

Exactly.

[Soxbadger]

Let your kid play football, but don't make this stupid argument.

 

It isn't let kid play football

 

OR

 

Lock kid up in handcuffs and not let them do anything, since they can't play football.

 

You can let them do a lot of things. Football is probably one of, if not the, most dangerous thing you can let your kid do as far as future brain damage when considering a sport or hobby.

 

Me, I don't know how anyone can watch that PBS special, or read a lot of the research done, or even the stories out there, and let their kid play football.

 

It's all about risk involved. Is there the same risk getting on a plane as there is playing a lifetime of football? Of course not. Just because life is filled with tragedy, doesn't mean you can't take steps to try to minimize it. Do you wear our seat belt?

 

Im not sure that I am the best comparison for what people should do. But I do wear my seat belt, I try and avoid completely unnecessary risks, but I dont find sports to be a completely unnecessary risk.

 

 

Getting in a car is a pretty necessary part of daily life for most people, but playing football isn't. There's quite a bit of excluded middle between "football may be too dangerous for children to play" and "no child should ever do anything with any risk ever"

 

Its the same theory. You either run the numbers and create a baseline that is unacceptable risk. If football is above that threshold any non-necessary activity that is more risky than football should also be.

 

IE You may need to drive a car to get to work. But do you really need to take your kid in a car for a ride to a baseball game, if there is a higher risk your child will die in the car getting there than playing football?

 

I cant answer that question for you, I can only say that I accept a certain level of risk in life and I will allow my child the same.

 

[IlliniKrush]

Im not sure that I am the best comparison for what people should do. But I do wear my seat belt, I try and avoid completely unnecessary risks, but I dont find sports to be a completely unnecessary risk.

 

 

 

 

Its the same theory. You either run the numbers and create a baseline that is unacceptable risk. If football is above that threshold any non-necessary activity that is more risky than football should also be.

 

IE You may need to drive a car to get to work. But do you really need to take your kid in a car for a ride to a baseball game, if there is a higher risk your child will die in the car getting there than playing football?

 

I cant answer that question for you, I can only say that I accept a certain level of risk in life and I will allow my child the same.

Yes, this is what it comes down to. Everyone has to draw that line somewhere. Yours just seems closer to "do anything" or "do nothing" than some others.

 

I accept risk too - I'd take him to the baseball game. I just won't let him play football, because to me, the odds are way less than the baseball game. If every single time I drove to the baseball game, he'd suffer brain damage, I'd probably avoid that too.

 

One comes with risk, but most time will have zero damage, the other one you know is endangering them every single time they do it.