Concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that is increasingly common in kids. Consider the following statistics from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention:

• Each year, U.S. emergency departments (EDs) treat an estimated 173,285 sports- and recreation-related TBIs, including concussions, among children and adolescents from birth to 19 years.
• During the last decade, ED visits for sports- and recreation-related TBIs, including concussions, among children and adolescents increased by 60 percent.
• Overall, the activities associated with the greatest number of TBI-related ED visits included bicycling, football, playground activities, basketball and soccer.

The physicians at Eugene Pediatric Associates are leading a citywide concussion initiative with the assistance of nationally recognized concussion expert Dr. Michael Koester at the Slocum Orthopedic Institute.

Dr. Koester and your doctors at EPA are hosting a symposium this November for pediatricians, emergency room physicians, family physicians, school trainers and administrators, psychologists, physical therapists and others professionals who interact with concussed students.

The goal is to create a community-wide standard of care for our kids when they suffer a concussion. Watch here for more information on concussions and our effort to help kids in our community play and be well.

For more information about car accidents and brain injury statistics, click here.