Teens with Concussion History Three Times More Likely to Suffer From Depression

With the long-term dangers of head injuries grabbing U.S. headlines on a weekly basis, the nation’s awareness of concussions is higher than ever. Many sports organizations have worked to improve the treatment and handling of head injuries, instituting many precautions that will hopefully prevent athletes from becoming injured further.

As research regarding concussion injuries continues, recent findings demonstrate the severity of head injuries, especially in young athletes and teenagers. According to a study that used data from the 2007-2008 National Survey of Children’s Health, teens with a history of concussions are more than three times as likely to suffer from depression as teens who have never had a concussion.

Although doctors considered many variables, it is still not known exactly what causes this higher rate of depression. Some believe it could be the brain injury itself or possibly social isolation experienced by the teens as they recover from a concussion.

Children with a history of concussions are also said to be more likely to develop ADHD and have difficulty controlling their moods.

A brain injury is a serious matter for any victim, no matter the stage in life. For children and teens, the developing brain can suffer greatly from a concussion. If not addressed correctly and given time to heal, serious and long term brain damage may occur. And this applies to single incidents and accidents, and adults as well as teenagers. Repetitive trauma that may be present in football and sports injuries is just one cause of concussions being studied as a precursor to serious and permanent damage.

If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury through no fault of your own, contact an experienced Riverside, California personal injury attorney today.

And be sure to get any child, teen, or adult that shows sign of a concussion or brain injury to the doctor right away for the medical attention they need.

This article’s photo comes courtesy of Flickr contributor, Scott*