Many parents have heard of the acronym CTE and know that it’s something that can affect professional football players. As the disease is increasingly studied and routinely discussed in the media, more parents are wondering if CTE also can affect their kids and teens.
CTE stands for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a progressive degenerative brain disease thought to be caused by repeated head injuries. This includes concussions and head impacts that cause sudden brain movement but don’t cause immediate symptoms.
For those parents who grew up in the era of “shake it off” (and we don’t mean Taylor Swift) when it comes to concussions, this newfound focus on the effects of repeated concussions and head injuries can be alarming.
There’s no doubt that CTE is a real thing. It can occur with repetitive head injury in athletes who make their living playing high-risk, contact sports like football, hockey, soccer and auto racing. However, there is still much we need to learn about CTE, including why it affects some people and not others, and how brains go from healthy to symptomatic of CTE. To complicate matters further, there is currently no way to diagnose CTE while a person is alive.
Concussion research constantly improves care, this includes work by Michael McCrea, PhD, a neurosciences researcher studying concussions at the Medical College of Wisconsin, the academic partner of Children’s Wisconsin. The Children’s Wisconsin Sports Medicine Program and Emergency Department regularly partner with Dr. McCrea on his cutting edge research and are involved in shaping policy and concussion care on an international basis. Researchers also are working to find diagnostic testing that can identify CTE while a person is alive.
In the meantime, many parents are concerned about their kids’ involvement in contact sports. This is what we DO know about concussion and concussion-related injuries in kids.
First, don’t panic
CTE is exceptionally rare in kids. It usually is associated with repeated head trauma over a long period that starts at a young age. If kids and teens report possible concussions right away and seek care, we can reduce their risk of prolonged recovery and any potential long-term complications.
Sports are good for kids
We encourage kids to be active and participate in whatever sports they’re interested in and that fit their family. Sports participation is associated with many benefits, including socialization, better grades, lower rates of teen pregnancy, improved mental health and, of course, physical fitness.
Concussion devices probably aren’t effective
It’s imperative for your child to wear the properly fitted protective equipment of their sport. Any helmet, whether it be bike, equestrian or football, reduces the risk of catastrophic brain injury, but cannot prevent concussion.
It’s tempting to purchase devices that tout their ability to help prevent concussions. However, concussion headbands and compressive neck collars have not been effective at reducing concussion rates. Additionally, Guardian Caps, a soft-shell pad that attaches to the outside of a football helmet to provide extra cushioning and enhance safety for head-to-head contact, has not shown to reduce the incidence of concussions in high school players, despite their increased popularity.
So, what can you do?
We applaud manufacturers for trying to develop devices that reduce the rate of concussions. But in the meantime, you can take the following proactive measures:
Advocate for proper coaching and officiating
It’s important for your child’s coaches to teach proper sports techniques, like how to initiate a tackle or head a soccer ball. The Children’s Wisconsin Sports Medicine Program can provide coaching education.
Similarly, it’s imperative for officials to control and call games within the rules of the sport to prevent dangerous and aggressive play.
Be honest and report all head injuries
As a caregiver, your most important job is to report every potential concussion and seek medical care if your child is experiencing symptoms of a concussion. Parents (and kids) need to be honest about the symptoms to achieve a proper diagnosis and treatment. Kids should only return to play after receiving medical clearance from their doctor.
We understand it’s hard to watch our kids sit the bench. But their long-term brain function is more important than temporarily missing play.
We also encourage athletes to watch out for their teammates and report any concerning behavior to the coaching staff or athletic trainer.
Get a baseline concussion test
Baseline concussion tests are given to healthy athletes before a concussion happens. After a suspected concussion, the athlete takes the test again and the results are compared to measure the athlete’s brain function. This helps sports medicine specialists diagnose a concussion, determine severity, devise a treatment plan and make return-to-play decisions.
Children’s Wisconsin offers baseline concussion testing at its Greenfield Clinic, Delafield Clinic and Mequon Clinic. If you’d to schedule a baseline concussion test for your child, call the Children’s Wisconsin Concussion Line at (414) 337–8000 or visit our concussion website.
Seek care from experienced sports medicine professionals
The Children’s Wisconsin Sports Medicine program is comprised of multidisciplinary specialists who all are focused on young athletes and the unique stressors they face. We understand how important sports are to your child and the pressures they face. Our concussion program is the only program in the state designed exclusively to treat concussions in young athletes’ developing brains.
We also offer a special Concussion Line that is monitored and answered by a licensed athletic trainer. You can call (414) 337-8800 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You also can leave a message and someone will quickly return your call.
At Children’s Wisconsin, our goal is to protect children from the risks of CTE and long-term concussion effects. Through safe play and proper reporting, diagnosis, and treatment, we can help safeguard your child's long-term brain health.
