Protecting your child from the repercussions of concussions
About 70% of emergency department visits for sports and recreation-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and concussions are among children ages 17 and younger! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the sports with the most concussions are (ranked 1-10): boys tackle football, girls soccer, boys lacrosse, boys ice hockey, boys wrestling, girls lacrosse, girls field hockey, girls basketball, boys soccer and girls softball. A 2025 study says that taekwondo and rugby also put kids at high risk of a concussion.
It's upsetting when your child is injured doing a sport they love and that gives them such good exercise, teamwork and confidence. But even more upsetting is the fact that a lab study published in Experimental Neurology indicates that concussions sustained early in life can cause subtle changes to the brain's white matter that re-emerge later and cause serious functional and cognitive problems. And another study, published in Science, found that repetitive head injuries that lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) can cause DNA damage that resembles patterns seen in Alzheimer's.
So, how can you protect your child from concussion(s)? You might steer them toward less risky sports ... but if that's not going to happen, it's essential they have the most protective gear available. Check out Virginia Tech's helmet rating info at helmet.beam.vt.edu. Work with coaches to enforce concussion-protective rules (like no helmet-to-helmet contact in football) and make sure the coach knows how to spot and respond to a head injury when it happens. For more on raising healthy kids, check out my book "YOU: Raising Your Child."
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@4YOUngevity.com.
(c)2026 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2026 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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