There is a lot of talk to today that tackle football is causing too many long term injuries in players. Is that necessarily true?
Here are some reasons why football would be too dangerous for young kids. There are a number of things that can go wrong according to whyy.org. Things such as concussions, crippling diseases and even Alzheimer’s disease just from playing the game. One reason football is too dangerous is because of CTE which is a deadly brain disease that is a result of repetitive hits to head. Many kids start the game of football at an age of as low as 4 years old. At that age, the child’s brain is not fully developed which can the brain more likely to be damaged. With more and more young people playing football, the risk of early childhood disabilities is becoming greater. Depression, erratic behavior, and headaches are some long term effects of the brain injuries. There are no helmets that keep kids 100% safe from head injuries. Researchers tested different brands of helmets and there was virtually no difference in the concussion rate between them. The percentages for Xenith helmets are 6%, Riddell has a 9% concussion rate, and Schutt has 8% concussion rate. These numbers may not seem low but they add up over time when your child is constantly getting hit. The final reason that your child shouldn’t play football is that there is a critical build up of proteins in your brain that has been linked to Alzheimer’s. This has been proven to be 5 times more likely in people that have suffered concussions and memory loss. There has yet to be a drug to prevent this from happening so if your child has played football and gotten a concussion as well as suffered from memory loss, they are at risk. Continue reading Is Football Too Dangerous at a Young Age?