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What Parents Need to Know

October 11, 2009 5:20 PM

The NFL referred "60 Minutes" to Dr. Andrew Tucker, a member of the committee studying brain injuries for the NFL and the team doctor for the Baltimore Ravens.

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by momcapa October 17, 2009 8:42 PM EDT
MY son has also received 3 concussions. The first one caused him to be knocked unconcious at center ice and his coach had the nerve to put him back into the game after being helped to the bench by the ref's. He was only 11 years old at the time. He suffered his most recient one in Dec. 2008 and was sent immdeiately to the hospital with the bad headache, whiplash, vision problems and bronchial spasms. He was wearing a concussion hockey helmet which is supposed to help prevent concussions, but obviously it didn't work. The specialist that we were sent to see, told him he fell into the 3 strike rule...3 concussions and you are banned from playing anymore. Little did we know, his hockey career would come to a screetching halt at the age of 11! He still has vision problems, but thankfully recovered from the other affects. We count our blessings every day that he is OK and still with us. Who knows what unseen damage has been done to his little brain. Had I only known.....!
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by colejacob October 14, 2009 10:18 PM EDT
This story has made me sick. I have a 14 year old son who played for Pop Warner and now he is a freshman football player. He just received his 3rd concussion. When do we say enough is enough?? His father {my ex} is persistant that he plays no matter what. My son has had previous memory problems after his concussions along with severe headaches. He has been given the okay to play after only 2 weeks of being out. The stories I read on here have made me view sports in a completely different manner. I have two younger boys and I really dont want them to play. It jeopordizes their health and truthfully, that is not something I want to mess with.
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by colejacob October 14, 2009 10:13 PM EDT
This story has made me sick. I have a 14 year old son who played for Pop Warner and now he is a freshman football player. He just received his 3rd concussion. When do we say enough is enough?? His father {my ex} is persistant that he plays no matter what. My son has had previous memory problems after his concussions along with severe headaches. He has been given the okay to play after only 2 weeks of being out. The stories I read on here have made me view sports in a completely different manner. I have two younger boys and I really dont want them to play. It jeopordizes their health and truthfully, that is not something I want to mess with.
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by prpleforyou October 14, 2009 9:55 PM EDT
Hi mfletch4722,
I'm not sure where you live but I work at a neurologist office and the neurologist there is very good. Maybe he can help your daughter to figure out what is going on.
Email me if you might be interested. I live in CT.
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by SportMedTed October 14, 2009 3:51 PM EDT
Our sports medicine office is currently working with retired NFL and college athletes to get them utilizing the only known treatment protocol for concussions and brain injury. We've already used this successfully with concussed athletes from high schools and colleges.

Ted
Revolution2Heal@aol.com
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by lchester62 October 13, 2009 10:28 AM EDT
Despite scientific evidence, the NFL, NCAA, PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association), and Pop Warner leagues nationwide will continue to deny the link between collision sports and permanent brain damage simply because of the "link" between football and the almighty dollar. Football is a behemoth money maker and no one in the business will ever admit that their cash cow could lead to an early death or early disability of a participant. Out 18 year old son suffered a life-altering "concussion" in his freshman year of high school during practice. It was his 7th concussion; each time he had been cleared by his doctors. At the time of the last concussion he had been concussion-free for two years. We have watched our son go from an honor roll student to one who has not been able to attend school full-time for three years. His current GPA is 2.6. This year, his senior year, is the first time he has been healthy enough to attend every day. I learned that this "injury" is not reportable to the state health department through the school because the PIAA is supposed to monitor athletic-related injuries. My calls to the PIAA have not been returned by their medical director. If we don't report and monitor the injuries then we, the trusting, naive public will NEVER know just how widespread this problem is. Why? Because they don't want us to know. They don't want their supply of expendable players to dry up. They don't want the public to know just how dangerous this sport is. If a factory had as many injuries as high school football has concussions, the factory would be shut down by OSHA and investigated. There is no Football safety and health administration for our children - WHY NOT? Why doesn't anyone want to admit that this sport does so much harm? How many kids have to die first? How many kids have to have their lives irreversibly changed before someone steps in to do something? Finally scientists are providing the evidence that such a link exists and no one has the courage to do anything about it.
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by milehimomof2 October 12, 2009 1:51 PM EDT
Hi mfletch4722. I had a similar situation happen with daughter and also thought that I had done everything possible to get her help (including the MRIs and CAT scans) and nothing seemed to really nail it. A neighbor referred me to CereScan (www.cerescanimaging.com) and they did a functional brain assessment which identified exactly what was not working in my daughter's brain. They were able to show us that there was evidence of the encephalopathy and also confirm what other types of things had developed. Their doctor consulted with her treating doctor and she is doing so much better! You might want to check them out as there is more than can be done and there is hope.
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by mfletch4722 October 12, 2009 9:49 AM EDT
I watched your program last night and am deeply distressed...my daughter was kicked in the head by a horse (both back feet fully extended) when she was seven years old; she is now 35 and has a terrible mental illness that has reeked havoc on the whole family. we have done everything possible including mri's and cat scans two years ago...can you folks get me in touch with the scientists doing research on this slow brain disease, maybe something good can result....thanks,,,email me for for details...thanks
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