Do Concussions Affect Females Differently than Males?
A concussion is a serious injury that can impact the victim’s memory and language skills, particularly when someone suffers more than one concussion in their lifetime. Perhaps nothing has raised the visibility of the dangers of concussions more than the plight of professional football players in the NFL. Although concussions are serious injuries for men, they carry perhaps greater consequences for women.
Sex Differences Make Females More Vulnerable
Research has shown that women who participate in sports are more likely to suffer a concussion than men. All sports carry some risk of concussion, but those that involve physical contact (like ice hockey and soccer) carry elevated risks. As the number of young girls who participate in youth sports increases, the likelihood that they will suffer concussions also increases.
Reasons why concussions might affect females differently than men include:
- Hormonal differences in the male and female brains
- Differences in how a female’s body reacts after a collision compared to how a male’s body reacts
- Differences in the size of the neck as well as the muscles in the neck
Of course, another reason why females might suffer more concussions is that they are more willing than males to admit to feeling the symptoms of a concussion, such as a headache or other pain.
Should Your Daughter Play Sports?
Athletic participation carries many benefits, and parents should hesitate before they immediately pull their daughters from organized sports. For example, participation in sports has been shown to increase psychological health and to improve positive self-image in girls. Sports also increases a girl’s bone density, which will be beneficial as she ages.
Furthermore, all risk is relative. You probably are excited for your child to go get her driver’s license, even though she faces a greater risk of death or serious injury behind the wheel of a car than on a soccer field. Nevertheless, careful parents would do well to consider the relative risks of participating in sports in light of their daughter’s age and overall physical health. If your daughter is very young, or not in overall good physical health, then a contact sport like soccer might not be a great choice.
Watch Out for Concussion Symptoms
Any blow to the head can cause a concussion, as the blow shifts the brain inside the skull. It’s not uncommon for the victim to black out after a concussion, although you can still have a concussion even if you don’t black out. Common symptoms of a concussion include:
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Blurred or double vision
- A headache
- Difficulties with memory
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Sensitivity to noise or light
- Difficulty maintaining balance
Females who suffer concussions often display more serious symptoms and take longer to recover than males. If your doctor is unaware of how concussions impact females specifically, then you might not receive sufficient treatment. In particular, your daughter might need more bed rest before she can return to sports or even to normal activities. Girls who suffer a concussion may also need stronger pain medication to cope with the pain.
Also, pay attention to social alienation. Concussion victims sometimes have difficulty interacting with other people as they attempt to recover, and social alienation is not uncommon. If your daughter feels withdrawn and depressed, or if she no longer enjoys spending time with family or friends, then you should contact your doctor to discuss possible treatment.
Concussions Aren’t Limited to the Playing Field
Anyone can suffer a concussion, not simply teen athletes. Anything that jars the head can cause a traumatic brain injury, including the following:
- Whiplash in a car accident
- Slipping and falling on the ground
- Falling down a flight of stairs
- Being punched in the head
- Getting struck by an object
If you begin to display symptoms after a blow to the head, then you should seek immediate medical attention. You should also document how the concussion has interrupted your life. For example, you might need to stay at home while recovering, which can limit the amount of money that you earn. You might also need thousands of dollars of medical care to help you recover—money which you might not have. If someone else is to blame for your concussion, you might have a legal claim against them.
Preventing Concussions
It’s entirely possible to recover from one concussion with sufficient rest and pain medication. Most people do not suffer any more ill effects in the future. However, repeated concussions have been shown to cause more damage to the brain, possibly because an initial concussion weakens the brain’s ability to recover from a blow. For these reasons, you should make it a priority to protect your family from concussions. Implement the following safety tips:
- Always use an appropriate-sized car and booster seats, and remember to install them properly before your children ride in the car.
- Have your children wear helmets when riding bikes. A helmet, by itself, cannot prevent concussions, but it does offer some protection.
- Install gates at the top and bottom of stairs to prevent serious falls.
- Take your children to playgrounds that have soft surfaces, such as sand instead of concrete. If your children fall on these playgrounds, they are less likely to hurt their heads.
If your children play organized sports, then you can promote brain health by insisting that rules against rough play are enforced. About 70% of sports-related concussions are caused by player-to-player contact, such as a football player driving into an opponent helmet-first. You can also encourage a culture of safety by supporting the coach’s or parents’ decision to rest players who have suffered any kind of head injury. This helps set the tone that safety is more important than winning (even if your child doesn’t think so).
Contact a Tampa Bay Personal Injury Attorney Today
If you or a loved one has suffered a concussion or other traumatic brain injury, you might be entitled to financial compensation. At Dolman Law Group, we analyze each person’s individual case to identify the best possible outcome. Dolman Law Group’s award-winning attorneys have obtained compensation for traumatic brain injury victims that allows them to cover their medical expenses and replace any lost income. Call them today at (727) 451-6900 or write them online for a free, no-risk consultation.
Dolman Law Group
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33765
727-451-6900
