Brain Trauma Surge Among Youth Athletes Raises CDC Alarm
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A surge in sports-related brain injuries among the youth is pushing U.S. health officials to call for public policy changes after similar safety efforts helped reduce head-trauma deaths from motor vehicle accidents.
A 40 percent drop since 1980 in traumatic brain injury deaths from car crashes can serve as an example for initiatives that target contact sports such as football, according to a report today from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Traumatic brain injuries suffered by people under age 19 from sports and recreation activities rose 60 percent from 2001 to 2009, the CDC said, citing data released earlier.