Study To Track Concussions In Young Athletes Underway
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DALLAS (CBS11) - A new national effort to track concussions in young athletes started Monday in North Texas.
Athletic trainers and school nurses will report the concussion through a password-protected online site. The results could impact how brain injuries are treated nationwide.
It's welcome news for Carrie Reyes. Her daughter is a star soccer player on the U-17 Mexican National Team.
"I feel great about the study because it'll give us information that we don't know," said Reyes.
Reyes said her daughter suffered two concussions about six months ago.
"Sometimes you have that aggressiveness and that body impact with the other players and you can't get your head on the ball right. Unfortunately, that's what happened to my daughter, Reyna," Reyes explained.
The program will record things like the cause of injury and recovery time.
The University Interscholastic League teamed with the O'Donnell Brain Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center for the study.
Doctors in North Texas will pour over the data - tracking students in two dozen sports – including cheerleading, football, wrestling and soccer.
Students are encouraged to report injuries to coaches or trainers. Parents should also help watch for warning signs.
"No one knows your child better than you," said Dr. Munro Cullum, with the Brain Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center. "It's really important to watch for these symptoms. Parents also need to be educated on what to look for."
Dr. Cullum said the UIL hopes to develop a mandatory program after this initial year. Right now it's a voluntary program where reporting injuries is strongly encouraged.
To learn more about the study, click here.
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