Video Helps Kids and Adults Talk About Concussion Recognition and Treatment
Irvington, NY (PRWEB) September 17, 2014 -- As kids settle back into school and youth sports, concussion prevention is top of mind for parents, teachers and coaches. Alexandra's Playground has developed five facts to remember about concussions and an informative video, Pediatric Concussions: Early Detection and Treatment, developed for kids, parents, coaches and teachers to detect, talk about and treat concussions together.
"As a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, I witness youth sports and playground related head injuries every day," says Dr. Michael Vitale, Founder of Alexandra's Playground, a non-profit committed to promoting opportunities for safe, active play for kids. "While there are a number of highly informative materials about concussions available, there is little that is specific to youth. We wanted to create a video that kids and adults could watch together and that would help kids to communicate their symptoms and to understand why treating a concussion is so important for their future health."
The video includes advice from four leading medical experts on concussions and real cases of two young children who have suffered from concussions. Heather O'Reilly, three-time US Olympic Soccer gold medal winner introduces the video.
Alexandra's Playground asked the experts featured in the video to list the top things they want people to remember about concussions. Here are the five facts they provided.
Five Facts to Remember About Kids and Concussions
1. While it is important to wear helmets when playing contact sports, helmets do not prevent concussions.
2. Concussions can occur without loss of consciousness, in fact more than 90% do.
3. Concussions can't be detected on CT scans or MRIs.
4. Concussions can lead to cognitive, physical and emotional symptoms and loss of sleep in children.
5. A child that has suffered from a concussion requires both physical and cognitive rest -- that means no sports, no screen time (TV, internet, video games), no piano practice, and no schoolwork.
The video is available on YouTube and the Alexandra's Playground website http://www.alexandrasplayground.org. http://www.alexandrasplayground.org/pediatric-concussion-video/. Alexandra's Playground provides links to other concussion information on their website.
About Alexandra’s Playground. Alexandra's Playground was formed in 2009 to honor the memory of Alexandra Vitale. A NY registered charity and 501c3, Alexandra’s Playground was founded on the principle that active play leads to the nurturing of the spirit, and by extension, to the nurturing of young bodies and minds. Our mission is to improve the lives of children through promoting safe and healthy play throughout childhood. We do this by raising awareness about the importance of childhood play, creating opportunities for children to be physically active and socially interactive, and creating programs that help to promote safe and healthy play.
Tricia Heywood, Alexandra's Playground, http://www.alexandrasplayground.org, +1 (646) 318-7490, [email protected]
Share this article