The Latest on Kids, Football, and Concussions

Over the course of the last few years I’ve been working to follow the latest research on the fallout from those blows to the brain known as concussions. I’ve found the work of the Concussion Legacy Foundation to be particularly eye-opening and helpful. Their work on understanding the long-term effects of concussions and the link to developing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy – or CTE – has fueled a much-needed growing movement to keep kids away from playing tackle football until the age of fourteen. While these measures do not prevent CTE, they do lower the odds. Research is now showing that a child’s odds of developing CTE double with every additional three years they play tackle football. Former NFL star Brett Favre has joined the chorus of voices issuing the warning. In a new psa that you can view online, Favre says that having kids play before high school is just not worth the risk. Parents, heed the warnings, and make decisions that protect the well-being of your kids.