The CDC recently announced plans for a rigorous investigation into the risks of head trauma in youth tackle football, according to Time.
Science has uncovered the risks and potential long-term damage of concussions and head trauma, but little research has been conducted on the specific risks posed to children who play football. The CDC is calling on experts to make research proposals to determine the most at-risk age groups.
There are some disparities in expert opinion on the matter.
Lauded concussion expert Robert Cantu, MD, clinical professor of neurosurgery at Boston University School of Medicine, has suggested that kids not play tackle football before the age of 14. This suggestion, according to Time, is likely due to the accumulation of low-impact subconcussive cranial hits tackle football players accrue throughout games and practices. Studies have suggested that these small collisions could potentially be more harmful than the violent hits that lead to a concussion diagnosis and time off the field. Prohibiting head contact in youths who play the game could limit the damage caused by these smaller, lower profile collisions.
Micky Collins, PhD, director of the Sports Medicine Concussion Program at UPMC, thinks learning to tackle properly while young is key to preventing head injuries down the line. "Some of the worst cases I see in my clinic are from high school kids who've never played football before...they haven't developed the right skills. They're not prepared," Dr. Collins said in Time.
The CDC aims to shed light on the matter with this new initiative. Chris Nowinski, a former college football player who runs the Concussion Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing brain injuries, said in Time, "This research is badly needed, and needs to be done right."
More articles on quality:
CMS delays overall hospital star ratings release: 4 things to know
A physician perspective on the opioid crisis: Q&A with Dr. James Campbell
Cleveland hospitals, community organizations partner to lower infant mortality rate