Concussions have been an ongoing problem with pro sports such as the NFL. With Superbowl 50 coming up, this is an ideal time to discuss concussions that occur with kids. For many years there has been more talk, tests, lawsuits, and more regarding concussions in the NFL and there's even a major motion picture called Concussion with Will Smith.
Unfortunately these occur more frequently than we would prefer. This PBS article from 2014 shows the number of concussions per position in the NFL.
For the frequency of concussions and long-term damage caused by concussions, there are surprisingly limited treatments for this kind of brain injury. Treatments typically include pain relievers and medications to help with nausea, vertigo, and depression. Neurofeedback is the only brain rehabilitation that helps to stabilize and regulate brain functions for brain injuries, including TBI and mTBI.
Concussions also occur in children and teens. Recent research suggests that children should not play contact sports until high school due to their significant increase in prolonged post-concussion symptoms in young athletes. Charles Barkley, former NBA player, also encourages parents not to let their children play football. While it may not be realistic to discontinue all childhood contact sports, it may be reasonable to obtain neurofeedback treatments for your child during his sport season. Siegfried Othmer reports this is risk management for childhood sports, just like obtaining insurance for health, auto, and life incidents.
Neurofeedback is brain training and helps the brain to learn how to stabilize and regulate itself in order to function optimally. Concussion treatments are meant to decrease or manage symptoms, but neurofeedback treats the damage caused by the concussion. Siegfried Othmer, PhD explains how neurofeedback is the recommended treatment for concussions.
Contact us at San Diego Center for Neurofeedback, APPC with any questions about Neurofeedback or Neurofeedback treatments.