Genius Hour Project

Ted-Style Talk Below is my TedTalk which outlines my research of Concussions in Youth and Professional Sport. I made this video more as a Ted-Ed format because I thought it would better demonstrate what I have researched and learned during this assignment. In this research I ended up expanding into more specific research into Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Please watch my video to review my research I have done over this project! **** Just to clarify, at 3:27 by removal of play I meant for it to be in its entirety. We should not avoid children participating in sport due to fear that they will become injured. However, when a concussion is suspected they should be removed immediately. ***** What do we do now? Each one of us plays apart in concussion prevention and management. And by us talking the proper steps to prevent and manage concussions, we will then lower the CTE rates slowly. I'm not acknowledging that sometimes things just happen... I can say f...

As we all have become more educated on concussions, youth and professional sports have become increasingly strict with guidelines to be removed from play if there is a suspected concussion, and when it is an appropriate and safe time to return to play. In a previous post, I talked about Rowan's Law, which is a policy outlined in Ontario where coaches must be educated on how to provide immediate care for concussions, assess symptoms, and it prevents athletes from returning to play too early. On this post, I am going to outline the specifics I found regarding concussion protocol in professional sports and youth sport. NFL Concussion Protocol "The NFL's concussion protocol is once again under fire after Cam Newton  got repeatedly pummeled and went unchecked" (2016) Business Insider. Below is a brief summary of the NFL Concussion protocol. "No-Go" Signs and Symptoms: If a player demonstrates/reports any symptoms of a concussion they are...

In my last blog post, I talked a lot about Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), however I did not fully explain what CTE exactly is. Although the TedEd video touched briefly on CTE as well, I thought that it was necessary to include a post that explains CTE so we can fully understand the danger with concussions and subconcussive trauma. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Ann Mckee, MD, Boston Healthcare. Dr. McKee was the leading physician in the  research regarding football players  who were believed to hold symptoms of CTE. CTE is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that was found in 90% of football players who were concerned they had CTE. CTE is typically the result of repeated head trauma, which causes a build up of Tau protein within the brain. Tau protein slowly kills portions of the brain, which prevents those areas from functioning property. The effects of CTE may not show up until later on in life, even after the athletes retire. These symptom...

Concussion (2015) Official Trailer (SONY PICTURES) Over the years there has been extensive focus on the NFL and their inability to accept the severity of the results from repeated head trauma. Above is a trailer for the movie Concussion which was a movie based on Dr. Bennet Omalu and his research on CTE (chronic Traumatic Encepalophy) in football players and his struggle with the NFL. Although there are concussion issues among many sports, I am going to mainly focus on the NFL as they have attracted extensive attention for being openly resistant to the idea of long-term effects of repeated head trauma and their responsibility on the matter. NFL and Concussions Chuck Bednarik hits Frank Gifford. Gifford suffered from CTE. (John G Zimmerman/Sports Illustrated) FACTS: From 2012-2016 there were over 1200 concussions diagnosed in the NFL  In January 2015 the NFL's Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee found that there was no significant risk of a second inj...

Below is my introductory video for what Genius Hour is and what it entails. This was created using Powtoon.

Wait.. What is a Concussion again? A concussion is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that is caused by a sudden jolt to the body or the head. This sudden jolt causes the brain to shift or move within the skull which leads to contusions to brain matter. What are some symptoms or effects of concussions? Concussions: How they Can Affect You Now and Later . (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2018, from https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/postings/2016/11/concussion.php What sports result in the most concussions in children and youth? There are more concussions found within competitive sports but overall football is the leader in concussion injuries. Other Sports with high concussion rates include: Boys' Ice Hockey Girls' Soccer Lacrosse (Boys & Girls) Head Case - Complete Concussion Managements. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2018, from http://www.headcasecompany.com/concussion_info/stats_on_concussions_sports What should I do if I suspect a child h...

Below is my trailer to introduce my Genius Hour Research.

What is a Concussion, Why should we care? In the athletic world, concussions have not been around for very long and many people do not understand the severity of them. Many people look at former professional athletes from many years ago such as Johnny Bower, a goaltender who played without a helmet, and believe that since he "turned out just fine" that the idea of a concussion is a myth.  Please watch the video below to introduce to you exactly what a concussion is, how it effects the brain in the short and long term.