Health & Safety

In her long road to recovery from post-concussion syndrome, two-time Olympic hockey star Caitlin Cahow had the best help a daughter could ask for, a mom who was there for her, no questions asked.  Caitlin's mom, a physician herself, shares with MomsTEAM's Brooke de Lench her perspective on new treatment therapies.

Platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) injections have emerged in recent years as a treatment for a variety of sports injuries, but there are few studies reporting on its effectiveness of PRP. Two top sports medicine physicians debate the hottest topic in orthopedics.

As we know all too well these days, bullying can happen any time, anywhere and to anyone, from the youngest children in day care (or even at home) and beyond. The following tips will help parents find ways to detect, prevent and deal with the bullying of young children.

To minimize the risk of delayed recovery from concussion, long-term injury, or, in rare instances, catastrophic injury or death, it is critical that athletes suspected of having sustained a concussion are removed from play as early as possible.  the chances that a concussion will be identified early on the sports sideline can be maximized by following a multi-pronged approach utilizing the "Five E's." 

In recent years, platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) injections have been used to treat a variety of sports injuries, ranging from severe tendonitis to muscle tears, but there is an ongoing debate among sports medicine doctors as to its effectiveness, especially given its cost. We explore both sides of the controversy.

The number of emergency department (ED) visits for sports-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) has risen over the past ten years, but the percentage of admissions has remained unchanged at about 10%, reports a new study. The study also reported a welcome trend towards admitting children with less severe TBI, which experts say may reflect a more cautious approach to management of brain injuries involving greater emphasis on in-patient observation to watch for signs of a serious brain injury, less routine use of CT and MRI scans, and less reliance on parents to observe their children for such signs at home in borderline cases.  

If you are parenting a female athlete, you may have a tough time convincing her to take your advice, even if you enjoyed a successful sports career yourself. Perhaps she will listen to an orthopedic surgeon for a major league baseball team who, before she became a doctor, was a triple jump champion and record-holder in high school track in Iowa.

The Brooke de Lench documentary, "The Smartest Team: Making High School Football Safer," will be broadcast on PBS affiliate stations across the country beginning September 17, 2013.