Cover story, continued ... The bank only accepted brains from individuals who were exposed to repetitive head trauma. Since they were donated under these conditions, the brains were not a random sample and cannot be used to represent the brains of all football players. Althoughmedical professionals cannot make general assumptions based on this study alone, it still provides one concrete conclusion: Players who were exposed to repetitive head trauma showed high rates of CTE. CHANGING LEGISLATION A lot has changed in the past 10 years when it comes to sports-related concussions. As evidence of the devastating effects of traumatic brain injuries grows, many people have demanded preventative steps. Some of the most tangible results of the public’s concern are the laws passed in all 50 states that try to address head injuries among young athletes. The youth sport laws that have been passed mostly require coaches, trainers, athletes,
15, that number went down to 11 percent, and then down to 7 percent in 2015–16. The sport most often associated with concussions and CTE is football, but it is not the only sport that carries the risk of traumatic brain injury. When football is taken out of the equation, girls’soccer players report the next highest rate of concussions, followed by boys’ wrestling. But despite the rise of state laws in recent years, enforcement and widespread data collection continue to be sparse, and these laws do not prevent concussions in the first place.
and parents to be educated about the effects of concussions. Most laws also require athletes to be removed from play after a concussion and prevent them from returning until they have been cleared by medical staff. The idea behind these laws is not only to create awareness about the dangers of concussions, but also to prevent recurring head injuries. A study published in the American Journal of Public Health explored how effective those laws have been in reducing recurring concussions. It found that the laws had led to a noticeable, nationwide decline in repeated concussions among teenagers. The laws were passed between 2009 and 2014. Researchers found that, immediately after the laws went into effect, the number of concussions increased. They attributed this phenomenon to improved reporting of concussions. About two and a half years after each law was passed, the numbers of repeated concussions began to decline. In 2013–14, recurrent concussions accounted for 14 percent of the total number. In 2014–
Regardless of the existing evidence, opinions differ on concussion and CTE risks. Some athletes view CTE as an inherent risk of contact sports, just like you risk breaking an ankle or a wrist. Other athletes have chosen to forgo athletics altogether in order to avoid the potential development of CTE. Only time will tell what further evidence will yield and whether states will enact new legislation. Ultimately, it’s up to you and your child to decide if you are okay with assuming the risks of playing a contact sport. Forced Sharing Is Not Caring Teach Children Generosity Through Autonomy
So, what should be taught? Markham says children need to be given the tools to handle sharing situations.“We do want our child to notice when another child would like a turn, and to ensure that child gets a turn,”she said.“And when someone else has something that our child wants, we hope that she’ll be able to control her impulses and use her words to work out an arrangement so that she can use the object in the future.” When we teach kids that they can use an object for as long as they’d like and that they can give it to the other child when they are finished, we are teaching them the following thoughts. • I can ask for what I want. Sometimes I get a turn soon and sometimes I have to wait. • It’s okay to cry, but it doesn’t mean I get my way. • I don’t get everything I want. • I don’t have to whine and convince my parent that I need a turn, because I know I will get it. • When I give my toy to my sibling, I feel good inside. I’m a generous person. According to Markham, this helps your child learn patience and empathy, which may leave them better equipped to handle bigger situations in the future. Forced sharing may seem positive in nature, but the harmful competition it creates may rob children of the chance to be truly generous and communicate their feelings and desires.
One of the most common principles of early childhood education is teaching children to play well with others, and oftentimes, this includes teaching them to share. While this aspect of education seems like a no- brainer to some, others have started to question the importance of sharing. In fact, this movement is taking the internet and nation by storm, one blog and social media post at a time, and it’s gaining traction with parents and preschools alike. According to Laura Markham, clinical psychologist at Columbia University and author of“Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings,”“Forcing children to share doesn’t teach the lessons we want them to learn.”During preschool, kids are learning to meet their own needs, and rather than teaching kids to speak up for themselves, forced sharing teaches them the following thoughts. • If I cry loud enough, I get what I want. • Parents are in charge of who gets what and when, and it’s arbitrary, depending only on their whim and how dramatically I beg for my turn. • I am in constant competition to get what I need. • If I make my parent miserable, I’ll get what I want. Forced sharing undermines children’s ability to lose themselves in play while also plaguing their relationships with other children with constant competition. In the end, neither child gets to experience true generosity from their peer.
2 • www.petrolawfirm.com
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