Concussions more harmful to teens: study

The revolving door of concussed professional athletes has changed over time. A play resulting in having one's "bell rung" used to mean a headache for a few days but no missed plays.

Then injured players would return within a week.

Today, it is more common to see athletes like Penguins' star Sidney Crosby or San Diego Chargers' Kris Dielman out for months at a time.

The landscape has changed as more scientific data and anecdotal evidence have emerged, warning of the dangers of repetitive head trauma.

A new study from researchers at the Universite de Montreal suggests that even more caution is needed when managing concussions in teens, as they are more susceptible to injury-induced neurological disruption than adults.

Neuroscientist Dave Ellemberg, who works in the university's department of kinesiology found that not only were the concussions of all children as serious and long-lasting as those of adults, but the concussions suffered by adolescents had the most serious consequences of all, according to the Vancouver Sun.

"The slow neuron responses and cognitive deficits were even greater in adolescents," said Ellemberg.

Study participants performed cognitive tasks while Ellemberg measured the electrical activity in their brain. He found the neurons fired significantly less often in those who had suffered a concussion within the previous six months, and observed an even greater decrease in neuronal activity in adolescents.

"As a coach, if you see a kid get a hit, sit them out until they're assessed," said Ellemberg. "We need a major initiative to educate parents, coaches and kids and develop a protocol that is systematically applied to all contact sports."

The Montreal Children's Hospital Trauma Centre sees about 1,000 youth annually for concussion and offers a concussion kit designed to educate parents, coaches, and athletes. It is available in French and English for a nominal fee.

Source: Teens face greater risks of harm from concussions: study - The Vancouver Sun 1/18/2012

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