Back to school special

Summer is quickly coming to an end (although the heat and humidity would have us believe otherwise in Michigan).  Soon, the buses will be out, the kiddies will be eating Pop Tarts and strapping on their new Tiger backpacks, and parents will be doing the happy dance.  As part of our back to school excitement, I'd like to briefly address a topic that I think is becoming more and more relevant for professional athletes and children alike.  Concussions and brain injuries incurred during sports.

Recently, Avila went on the special concussion disabled list due to a foul ball to the head (he seems to catch more of these than the average player).  His ear even bled, which is disgusting and the worst place for blood to come from...except maybe the eye.  Eww.

MLB started running cognitive tests before the season as a baseline to compare results to when a concussion is suspected.  I feel like this year there has been an influx in catchers that have been put on the concussion DL due to the differences in these tests.  Eight catchers have been put on this DL this year, including Mighty Joe Mauer himself.  Mauer's teammate and the other half of the new M&M boys, Justin Morneau, has also had difficulty with concussions in the past and spent an extended period of time off the field.

Personally, I think these new protections and precautions are wonderful for professional athletes.  They also serve as a great example for children to show that head injuries should be taken seriously.  Unfortunately, the same precautions are not taken with children and teenagers.  Young athletes often ignore signs of concussions and are pushed back into games because coaches and parents aren't sure what to look for.  What major league sports should do (not just MLB, but the other professional sports too... NFL, NHL) is make an effort to educate the general public on the signs and symptoms of concussions.  Health care providers should also make the baseline tests performed by MLB more available and affordable so the comparison tests can be run.

In the interest of education, here are some signs of a concussion, with particular attention to children:

• Trouble thinking/remembering including not retaining new information or feeling fuzzy
• Headache
• Nausea/vomiting
• Dizziness
• Sensitivity to light/sound
• Feeling tired or sluggish
• Difficulty with balance
• Change in mood, including being easily upset or angry
• Nervous/anxious
• Sleeping changes, including sleeping more or less or having trouble falling asleep

Concussions, especially multiple or severe ones, can lead to permanent damage in the form of traumatic brain injuries (TBI).  TBIs can have lasting effects to any part of the brain function depending on where the injury occurred in the brain.  The message here is that TBIs are preventable and it's wonderful that MLB is taking an active role in keeping their players safe.  The next step is to keep our young, amateur athletes safe as well.

Now, get out of the way so I can get down off this soapbox and watch the Tigers!