As the school year gears up in New York and across the country, many sports are also starting again. Recent news stories about the impact of repetitive brain injury have many parents concerned about their children. In fact, new guidelines released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasize that what might be considered a mild concussion is still an injury to the brain and could have serious ramifications.
According to the new guidelines, there is really nothing “minor” about a concussion. A concussion is considered a mild traumatic brain injury which could have significant ramifications. One pediatric doctor is happy to hear about the new changes with the CDC. He claims that approximately 200 children are admitted to his hospital each year for mild traumatic brain injury, and the new guidelines give additional details on how to treat such injuries.
The same doctor claims that the three most common reasons for a brain injury in a child are due to a fall, a contact sport or a car accident. Some reports indicate that over 800,000 children suffer such an injury each year in the United States. The new guidelines, according to some reports, further reinforce that a concussion, no matter how mild it is believed to be, is still an injury to the brain and appropriate care is necessary.
Depending on certain factors, such as the location of the injury and the severity of it, a person may never fully recover from a brain injury. Often, treatment can be expensive, resulting in significant medical bills. When the injury involves a child, parents may also be forced to miss work to provide appropriate care, resulting in lost wages. To help cope with the financial consequences of such an injury, some families in New York choose to seek recompense in a civil court if it was caused by negligence. A successfully presented lawsuit can ensure that victims have access to necessary treatment.