FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2004
Contact: Abena Foreman-Trice
(434) 243-2734           

SAFE KIDS AT U.VA. CHILDREN’S MEDICAL CENTER WANTS KIDS AND PARENTS TO SCORE BIG THIS FALL SPORTS SEASON BY REMEMBERING SAFETY FIRST

Now is the time kids are trading in their sunscreen and beach towels for soccer cleats and football pads. The start of the fall sports season is here and members of SAFE KIDS at U.Va. Children’s Medical Center recommend that children involved in contact sports receive a general health exam before they suit up and hit the field and consider getting a neurocognitive screening test.

“Before participating in a sport, every child should receive a general health exam from a physician and if a child has ever had a concussion through sports or other activities, it’s a good idea to have a neurocognitive screening test,” says Donna Broshek, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatric medicine who researches head injuries in sports at U.Va. Health System. “This will help track recovery from any future concussions and helps make sure a child has fully recovered before returning to his or her sport.”

A neurocognitive screening test determines brain functioning following head injuries that occur from participation in sports activities. Broshek, who is part of a specially trained group of neuropsychologists, administers these tests in U.Va.’s Neuropsychology Assessment Laboratory. This is important because each year, more than 3.5 million children ages 14 and under are treated for sports injuries. Many of the cases involve head injuries occurring from falls, collisions, or being struck by an object.

According to Broshek, these neurocognitive tests are the most sensitive measure of concussion symptoms available. They also are used to monitor recovery from concussions. One of the neurocognitive tests used is called the Concussion Resolution Index, a computer-based model that uses a number of short subtests that measure reaction time and speeded decision-making, both of which can be affected by changes in how fast a person processes information. The test is designed for children age 13 and older. A test for younger children is currently in development. While insurance may not cover baseline testing, it usually covers testing of any athlete who has had a previous concussion. School systems interested in administering this test can purchase an institutional testing license.

            “Because children have more vulnerable brains and because research seems to indicate that it takes them longer to recover from concussion, it is important that any child who has had a concussion be allowed sufficient recovery time before returning to their sport,” adds Broshek.

            Concussions can sometimes be mild to unnoticeable. Parents who are unsure if their child has had a concussion, should look out for the following symptoms:

  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Memory Loss
  • Concentration Difficulties
  • Depression and Anxiety

To cover this story, please contact Abena Foreman –Trice in the Public Relations office at (434) 924-5679.

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SAFE KIDS at U.V.a Children’s Medical Center, established in 2003 to promote child safety in Charlottesville/Albemarle and the surrounding counties, is part of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, the first and only national nonprofit organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury -- the number one killer of children ages 14 and under. More than 300 state and local SAFE KIDS coalitions in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico comprise the Campaign