Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion Facts and Figures

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the nation’s health protection agency:

Children and teens are more likely to get a TBI, including concussion, and take longer to recover than adults. TBI symptoms may appear mild, but the injury can lead to significant life-long impairment affecting an individual’s memory, behavior, learning, and/or emotions. Appropriate diagnosis, management, and education are critical for helping young athletes with a TBI recover quickly and fully.

IT’S WIDESPREAD

• Each year, U.S. emergency departments treat an estimated 173,285 sports- and recreation-related TBIs (traumatic brain injuries), including concussions, among children and adolescents, from birth to 19 years
• During the last decade, emergency room visits for sports- and recreation-related TBIs, including concussions, among children and adolescents increased by 60%

WHO’S AT RISK?

• Overall, the activities associated with the greatest number of TBI-related emergency room visits included bicycling, football, playground activities, basketball, and soccer.
• Numbers and rates are highest in football and girl’s soccer

·         Some 71 % of all sports and recreation-related TBI emergency room visits were among males and 70.5% were among persons aged 10-19 years

• Children from birth to 9 years commonly sustained injuries during playground activities or while bicycling
• Females aged 10-19 years sustained sports- and recreation-related TBIs most often while playing soccer or basketball or while bicycling