ATLANTA (AP) - Health officials say emergency room visits by
children injured in sports and recreational activities rose 60
percent in the past decade. They said that's probably because
parents and coaches are more careful about getting these head
injuries treated.
Bicycling and football were the leading causes of brain
injuries.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study of youths
19 and younger is based on a national survey of 66 hospital
emergency departments. About 250,000 traumatic brain injury visits
were reported in 2009, up from about 150,000 in 2001.
Experts think increased awareness in recent years about the
dangers of concussion prompted the increase. Trips to the ER rose
dramatically but hospitalizations did not, so more of the recent
cases were milder injuries.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)