By Jaime Herndon

We’ve heard a lot about football and concussions lately, both at the college and professional levels. If our nephews play football, we may be a little anxious. A new study published in the Journal of Neurotrauma found that a player doesn’t have to have a concussion to suffer negative effects from blows to the head. Using brain imaging, the researchers found that high school football players showed brain changes from a season where there were repeated blows to the head. Even one season of playing can change the brain.

The changes aren’t immediate and can be cumulative over many seasons of playing the sport, which makes them especially worrisome. They might include problems with concentration, memory, and attention – but since the individual doesn’t have a concussion, bedside testing doesn’t pick up on the changes.

Athletic trainers on the field who are trained in recognizing concussion can help with immediate head injuries, and parents and family members should be aware that any blow to the head can impact the brain. If there’s any question about an injury, don’t hesitate to see a doctor. Talk to nieces and nephews playing any contact sports – blows to the head can happen in other sports, too – about possible injuries and what to be on the lookout for, in case they get hit.

Photo: cedar
Published: December 9, 2014