Teens and Brain Injuries: Lasting Effects

The prominent headlines about the National Football League and the devastating effects of sports-related traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have people wondering what impact concussions might have on anyone. No one is immune to a concussion, and it is likely that everyone will sustain a concussion at some point in their lives.

Long-Term Effects of Teen TBIs

An April 2014 study in the journal PLOS ONE revealed that teenagers who have suffered a TBI such as a concussion are at “significantly greater odds” of attempting suicide, being bullied, and engaging in a variety of high-risk behaviors. These high risk behaviors can be anything from small time vandalism to high-risk crimes.

Dr. Gabriela Ilie, the lead author and a post-doctoral fellow at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada, stated that the importance of this population-based study was to look at all cases of TBI, not just the ones that were bad enough to go to the doctor’s office and thus be part of the official statistics.

How We Can Help

Kids who go through a concussion or any other TBI should know that they are not alone. They need more support, and we, as a community, can do what we can to provide them help that they need. As Dr. Ilie passionately noted in her interview:

We need to find a system whereby when these conditions occur, there is a program in place to help those kids so they don’t fall through the cracks in the system and have no assistance whatsoever. We need to understand traumatic brain injuries are a serious thing.

Yes, TBI is a serious topic for everyone—children, teens, and adults. Perhaps together we can find a way to help ease the lives of those who are suffering by providing the love, support, and community they need to work through life.

Contact a Brain Injury Attorney Today

If you or a loved one have suffered from a concussion or TBI, you are urged to contact the Indianapolis Brain Injury Attorneys of Wilson Kehoe Winingham. The lawyers at WKW can help you get the compensation you deserve. Call 317.920.6400 or fill out an online contact form for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

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