A few weeks ago I went here…
I swear, I only snuck in this one ridiculous photo with my deuces. I put them away and acted kinda like a professional fan girl grown up the rest of the time.
In addition to acting like a dork, while I was there, I met this guy…
(In case you don’t know, that is Roger Goodell and he owns the NFL is the commissioner of the NFL, which is basically a professional way of saying he’s NFL’s daddy. He gets to spank naughty players and make excuses for them to all of us when they are naughty in public. But, he also gets to brag when they are good, and that’s pretty awesome too.)
And, I took a bunch of fan pictures for my husband and The Dudes…
It was awesome. Clearly.
But, aside from the fact that I got to come home and wave pictures of me and the Commissioner around in front of all of the Dudes in my life, I also learned some valuable information about youth football.
A year ago, I would’ve probably just cared about the bragging rights of this awesome experience.
I would’ve just written about the fact that I got to go in this room and watch SUPER BOWL FOOTAGE on the big, official NFL screen.
Based on the cool factor of that alone, I would’ve been happy and that would’ve been the end of it.
But, that was before this happened…
Dude #2 fell in love with tackle football this year.
He begged me all winter, spring, and summer to sign him up for it.
And, because of his relentless begging the passion and desire I saw in his eyes, I did it, despite my desire to not commit hours upon hours to a sport I don’t particularly enjoy watching or think is completely safe.
And that was my biggest fear. I was horribly afraid that somebody was going to hurt my baby. Honestly, I still worry about that every time he steps on the field.
I worry that something will get broken, or pulled, or torn, or strained, or sprain. But mostly, I worry that he will be concussed.
And that, friends, is a legitimate worry.
Because kids do suffer concussions on the football field. And, sometimes coaches and parents and other adults involved in the sport aren’t educated enough to keep that from happening; or to respond to it appropriately when it unfortunately does.
That is knowledge I acquired when I went to the NFL offices and sat in on a discussion with USA Football, the CDC, and prominent physicians to learn about a program they call Heads Up Football.
It encourages coaches to teach boys a new, head’s up way to tackle (no leading with their head) and it’s helping to spread awareness about concussion treatment and prevention.
It’s helping parents, coaches, players, and physicians really understand the severity of having your brain bounced all around in your skull in a way that has never before been done.
So, allow me to school you a bit.
These are some common myths about concussions:
- You have to get knocked out to be concussed. Um, nope. You can have a concussion even if you don’t lose consciousness. You have to pay attention to the child to watch for some of the signs and symptoms of concussions even if there was no loss of consciousness after sustaining a hard hit.
- Concussions don’t have long term affects on the brain. Uh, yeah they do! You could be messed up for life. Anytime your brain is getting bounced around in your skull, you are putting yourself at risk for long term brain injury.
- If you wear the proper helmet you don’t have to worry about getting concussed. Wrong again, homie. Helmets actually don’t protect people from concussions; they are made to protect against skull fractures. Concussions can occur from the jarring of your brain, which means you can get one even if you don’t get hit directly in the head. Oh, and all of those little do-hickeys you hear about that are sais to help prevent concussions, they don’t work either. At least, there;s no real proof they do.
Want to learn more to keep your little’ person’s dome safe? Try here:
- The CDC: Heads Up Concussion Youth Sports
- USA Football
- Or, just watch the video:
Learning all of this I feel more empowered to talk to my son’s coach about safety, and to be an advocate for him and the boys he plays with. But, I’m still scared on every play that he is going to get injured. If he didn’t love it so much I swear I’d mama bear him right off that field and right into, um, competitive reading.
I’d love other moms to weigh in on this for me. Do you let your kids play? Are you ever going to? Do you think I should go ahead and just put him back in his onesie and strap him into his baby Bjorn again? Because, 7 is not entirely to old for that.
Now, go ahead and link up your Wordful posts below after you take a moment to visit this week’s Linky Faves and my co-host at Seven Clown Circus!
Wordful Wednesday Linky Faves
- Still loving the back-to-school photos everyone is sharing. Thanks for linking up your back-to-school photo cuties too, Mixed Molly!
- Another post made me miss home so much. Thanks for sharing these great shots of the Golden Gate Bridge, Honey Mommy.
- Great snapshots of a grown up trip to Pipestone courtesy of Stop! She’s Got a Camera!
- A lovely post featuring photos of an equestrian meet, some beautiful horses, and a really talented teen girl at Life’s Signatures.
Cyn & Co. says
Oh my gosh, this topic terrifies me! How do you stand it???
It is nice to see that people in the sport are taking steps to educate the players/kids and the people responsible for them about concussions and the real danger they present. Better proactive than reactive.
BTW Dude #2 looks awesome in his gear. You’ve got nothing but superstars on your hands.
Amy @ Never-True Tales says
So glad you wrote about this, because it’s not just football. Turns out, girls soccer have the most concussions on record. Who knew? And boys soccer is not far behind, either. While the tackling info doesn’t pertain to our sport of choice around here, the general awareness does. Multiple concussions can lead to permanent brain injury, and it’s so scary, isn’t it? Break out the Baby Bjorns!
pat says
Below is the document that my school district gives out regarding concussion mgmt. I showed this to my pediatrician when I brought my son in for concussion symptoms. She was so happy to see the phases that the athletes have to complete before they are cleared to play again. Again, the school district does this on top of anything that the pediatrician dictates. The athete even has to pass a com puterized cognitive ‘stress test’ before they are cleared. I love it!
—————————
Concussion Management
Concussion/Head Injury/Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Information
Definition: A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) which alters the functioning of the brain. A concussion can occur with any bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body that causes the brain to quickly move back and forth. Concussions can occur as a result of a fall, motor vehicle accident, accident on the playground, during athletic participation, or during many other activities. All concussions are serious and need to be evaluated by a health care professional.
Signs and Symptoms: Look for the following signs and symptoms of concussion for any student who suffered a bump, blow, or jolt to their head or body:
•Headache or head “pressure”
•Nausea and/or vomiting
•Dizzy and/or problems with balance
•Blurry vision or double vision
•Light and/or noise sensitivity
•Feels “foggy”
•Hard time concentrating
•Hard time remembering
•Confused
•Just “doesn’t feel right”
•Unable to remember events before or after the injury
•Loss of consciousness
•Appears dazed or out of it
Prevention: Below are ways to help reduce the risk of sustaining a concussion:
•Wear a seat belt every time you are driving or riding in a motor vehicle.
•Never drive or ride in a vehicle with someone who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
•Wear appropriate safety equipment, including properly fitted helmets, such as, but not limited to, when: ◦riding a bike, motorcycle, snow mobile, or ATV;
◦playing contact sports (examples include football, soccer, hockey, and lacrosse);
◦skiing, snowboarding, and sledding;
◦horseback riding; or
◦batting during baseball or softball
•During any athletic participation including practices and games: ◦Always use the recommended protective equipment for that sport (all equipment should be fitted appropriately and maintained according to manufacturer’s recommendations);
◦Safety rules need to be followed by all participants as well as proper techniques for safe playing;
◦Learn and follow the rules of the sport being played and promptly and honestly report injuries to an adult; and
◦Any student with a head injury must be removed from participation, will be referred to their healthcare provider for follow-up, and will remain out of play until proper medical documentation is submitted.
Returning to Sports/Athletics: The District follows the International Consensus Conference Guidelines for Return to Play (RTP) to team sports in a monitored and graduated progression of activity over six phases once the athlete is symptom free for at least 24 hours and medically cleared by their physician*. The process is detailed below.
International Consensus Conference Guidelines for Return to Play Following Head Injury/Concussion
Phase 1 low impact non-strenuous light aerobic activity for short intervals, such as easy walking, biking, swimming in three ten minute intervals with rest in between; no resistance training
Phase 2 higher impact, higher exertion activity in two 15 minute intervals, with rest in between, such as running/jumping rope, skating, or other cardio exercise; may be sports specific if available (e.g. skating without collision meaning suited up, but skating when the team is not doing drills; running without impact in soccer or football, suited up), no resistance training
Phase 3 repeat phase 2 progressing with shorter breaks, and add additional 10 to 15 min. stationary skill work, such as dribbling, serving, tossing a ball (balls should not be thrown or kicked in the direction of the student); low resistance training if available with spotting
Phase 4 repeat of phase 3 without breaks in cardio, but add skill work with movement (allowing balls to be thrown/kicked in the direction of student) and add additional 10-15 minutes; non-contact training drills
Student will complete post-injury ImPACTcomputer-based neuro-cognitive testing to compare with baseline pre-injury test results in combination with the athlete’s current overall neuro-cognitive symptoms and physical presentation. Collaboration between the ATC, RN, District Physician and/or NP, and private medical provider, as needed, will determine plan to either advance to Phase 5, hold at Phase 4, or regress to a previous phase of exertion.
Phase 5 repeat phase 4 as a warm up; weight lifting with spotting; full contact training drills for full practice session
Phase 6 warm up followed by full participation as tolerated
*For purposes of the head injury RTP protocol, an appropriate physician evaluation is completed by a practicing MD or DO within the following specialties: family medicine, pediatrics, sports medicine, neurology, or neurosurgery, with preference given to the individual’s primary care physician. Family members and friends of the family who are medical providers may not serve as an appropriate physician. The physician completing the physician’s evaluation form should document name, degree, specialty, practice name (if applicable), address, and phone number.
For additional information on traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), please visit the following websites:
http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/
http://www.cdc.gov/TraumaticBrainInjury/
http://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/injury_prevention/concussion.htm
Information adapted from The Centers for Disease Control, Heads Up Concussion in Youth Sports, http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/
Pat says
Concussions can happen in any sport. As a matter of fact, there are two girls on my daughter’s soccer team that have had more than one each. They are required now to wear a concussion band now while playing. My son has played football since he was about 7. He’s been playing tackle since 10. No concussions because of football. HOWEVER, he did suffer a concussion playing in the pool with pool toys and his crazy 13 year old friends.
Unfortunately, it can happen anytime. Football is just one of the means by which our kids can suffer a head injury. The important thing is to know the symptoms and to know what do afterward to make sure that your child heals properly.
Good work Dumb mom!
Alexia @ Babies & Bacon says
Wow. Roger Goodell? Nice one.
And yea, I would be terrified of the concussions. Hopefully this new initiative will help that out. Sadly I know a few pro-ballers that are all messed up from getting hit and concussed repeatedly. Hope that your boy does good this season!
adrian says
I’ve always felt lucky that my kids have not one ounce of athletic ability or interest. Brain damage from a concussion is a real danger and one that I would definitely have a problem with. I’ve already said a firm NO on motorcycles (ever! – even for my adult sons) although I did thaw a bit on firearms. It’s a big part of Scouting and our leader is a licensed instructor, so I let them shoot with proper training and supervision, but I still will only have them in my house if they are in a locked case on a high shelf and only taken out to go to the range.
I guess you have to compromise a bit here and there, but what would you do if he ever did get a concussion? If your answer is that you would take him out of football, even if he loves it so much, I’d go ahead and do it now before the damage is done. Maybe you could swing him over to soccer or softball or something else he would enjoy just as much. Although my friend’s daughter just got a suspected concussion in soccer this week – :-(
hilljean says
My dude’s not big enough yet, but I have no doubt he’ll want to play. He already loves all things football. One of my friends has two boys in football and she just told me that when she took them to the pediatrician for physicals, the doc was all, “You know they’re going to get concussions. And when they do, it’s over!”
Needless to say, my friend was pissed. But also freaked out. I’m passing this along to her as its a great resource for dude moms!
And can I just say, once again, that your life rocks. Coolest. Mom. Ever.
Dominique@Dominique's Desk says
Tackle football is not popular here in Singapore so I don’t think that my boys will be trying it out.
Jennifer says
I love football! Love it, love it, love it! And I will probably (force) let James play if he wants to. Of course after I see him on the field being tackled I may change my mind. I’m glad that the sport is making an effort to lessen the number of injuries that occur. It is so much more fun when all of the players are healthy.
Tina @ Life Without Pink says
What a cool event to attend. Thanks for sharing all of your insight!
Ande says
I’m new to your site and am loving it. As a mom to two boys and one girl…I hear ya!
My oldest son is 11 and has found his TRUE love…tackle football. This is his 3rd year playing and I can say without doubt, it is his passion. I love that he loves something this much, but I too worry, worry, worry about injury and especially concussions. Thank you for this helpful information! I will definitely be studying up on all of this.
MixedMolly says
My son would love to play tackle football, but we are mean and only let him choose one sport a year. I love Dude #2’s stance in the pic. Maybe #3 could be his manager, since he already has marketing and business experience?
Gina says
Okay- that is just AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m 100% jealous that you got to go there- rub shoulders with all those people AND get to see all that fabulous 9ers memorabilia. Plus I completely understand your want to get involved. Tackle football at such a young age- it’s a scary thing.
Kmama says
That’s awesome! I bet the Dudes (Dumb Dad included) were totally jealous of you going there!
My nephew played football and had a few concussions during his younger years. When he was in high school, he was told that if he had one more, he would have to be done. It really is an honest worry, and so scary!
Sarah says
That is so awesome!!!
Maggie S. says
Floyd will probably always be too small for football in his age group, but not dirt bikes.
Thanks for the good info. It makes me think that fall from the horse when I was ten, may explain all this.
Rosey says
Ohhhhhhhhhhh, you def. got the bragging rights with this one, what a fabulous day/opportunity!
The post is amazing too…kudos to you and perfect timing w/all the seasons sports starting up right now. I loved the post.
Lily @Militaryfamof8 says
oh!!!! I would have loved to have been there!!!! ;)
Thanks for the informational post, appreciated as I am getting ready to put my boys in tackle or flag football
Thanks for the linky, I have a linky on my WW post as well…
http://www.adventuresofamilitaryfamilyof8.com/2012/09/Disney-Memories.html
and fill out your info here if you want your linkies on my future directory
http://www.adventuresofamilitaryfamilyof8.com/p/blog-hop-directory-form.html
Tiffany says
That’s awesome you got to go to that!
I know nothing of football, but I rode horses for 15 years (only stopped when i got pregnant and now I’m too busy, sadly). I had several concussions , and they can be very scary for parents. It’s very important to always wear helmets and know how to handle the situations.
Jennifer says
Niiiiineeeeers! They are my JAM!
Now, onto concussions: I’m scared of them. My son is already cray by himself, I can’t imagine how he’ll be if someone tells him to tackle another kid ON PURPOSE. And that is why I hope my son doesn’t play football. So I’ll suggest ping pong. Or badminton. Or even chess…
Stacey says
Great information on concussions. It’s important to know. My oldest is 13 and has played since he was 8 and thankfully has never had a concussion. My 9 year old is more aggressive, so we’ll see how that goes. It is scary, but when they love it there’s just not much a Mom can do!!
Arnebya says
I don’t think I’ll let the boy play when he’s old enough (but I say that now; things could change (but my husband isn’t too keen on the idea either)). I am totally against tiny boys playing but I’m against it for MY kids. I don’t care who lets their kids play and yes, they are awfully cute in their uniforms. Whenever I watch my nephew play, I’m amazed at the size differences in the same-age players. Size differences as in, “why’s that middle schooler out there with 9 yr olds?”
I like how you think we’re gonna just let you slide without haircut explanations too.
Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? says
Concussions are super scary these days. A professor’s son had one and was in the hospital for like a week and nauseous for a while after that.
Glad you took out your deuces for one picture:)
Lolli @ Better in Bulk says
I’m so glad that you were able to go! Such an important subject and such a fun way to learn!
NPRMommy says
i am fascinated by this topic…i have read a lot about it in the past year or so…the thing that scares me the most is the results of a study done by the university where i work…they did IQ-type tests on football players from a local high school…even some who were never diagnosed with a concussion showed signs of brain impairment.
having said that, how do you keep your kid from something they love? a girl at the local middle school got a concussion playing volleyball…and it happens in soccer quite a bit, too…karate is not always the safest, either….all we can do is educate ourselves and do the best we can to keep our kids safe….