Dear President,

I'd like to bring your attention to a growing medical dilemma in the collegiate and high school contact sports world. This dilemma being the recent and and growing problem of sports induced concussions, more specifically caused by football and soccer. A concussion is defined as a complex pathophysiological injury to the brain. It occurs when the brain moves rapidly inside the skull and is more severe when it impacts the inner skull. In today's time with modern technology it would seem that we would have sufficient safety equipment already in place, yet still the CDC estimates that 1.6 million to 3.8 million concussions occur each year. This has to stop. The American Academy of Family Physicians reveals that ¨In football alone an estimated 10 percent of college players and 20 percent of high school players will suffer from a concussion,¨ this number is much too high. I bring this to your attention because the problem is affecting the lives and school work of millions across the country and it's your job to see it fixed.

I personally have suffered from a concussion that left me out of play for a month and affected my level of concentration, attitude and grades in school. I received a concussion while playing high school soccer last spring and it left me psychologically damaged. Unfortunately this is the story for many athletes in our country. Not only does a concussion affect the motor skills but it also can affect the way a person acts. Concussions can make a person seem depressed and distant from others. This not only affects the person suffering from the concussion but also affects those around them such as family and close friends.

Symptoms are separated into four different categories to based on what they affect. The first of which is physical which involves thing such as headache and nausea. Secondly cognitive symptoms are shown through signs such as difficulty with concentration or memory loss. Cognitive symptoms correlate directly with how the student athlete performs in school. Symptoms like irritability and sadness fall into the emotional category. This is where those around you can be affected. The final category is maintenance which is seen through trouble sleeping, appetite loss and a drop in energy loss. This affects the person in their day-to-day lives. Loss of consciousness is not uncommon when they first receive a concussion, and in some severe cases death may occur.

Sportsconcussion.org released a few ways to help prevent concussions many of which include practicing good sportsmanship and using proper form during things like a football tackle. In football a common way to receive a concussion is from a helmet to helmet tackle, which is now a penalty and the player is immediately checked for signs of a concussion. In soccer the most common cause of concussion is heading the ball with the top of your head rather than the harder forehead area. Both of these can be easily prevented if players are shown the proper form. There are also many free concussion training courses online that many people are unaware of.

Mr/Mrs president, we need your help to spread awareness of this ever growing epidemic,fxd and to put the proper safety measures and equipment in place. Millions of student athletes are suffering each day because of these sports induced concussions. Ignoring this is ignoring the education and welfare of athletes across the country.

Sincerely,

Damon S.

Works cited

"Concussion Facts | Sports Concussion Institute." Concussion Facts | Sports Concussion Institute. N.p., 2008-2012. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.

DAVID S. KUSHNER, M.D., University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida. "Concussion in Sports: Minimizing the Risk for Complications." - American Family Physician. American Academy of Family Physicians, 15 Sept. 2001. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.

"Sportsconcussion – Concussion Prevention." Sportsconcussion. Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.