Football and kids

[Mr. Ypsi]

A provocative article from si.com:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/paul_daugherty/06/29/kids.concussions/index.html?eref=sihp

Discuss.

[wildcat11]

A provocative article from si.com:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/paul_daugherty/06/29/kids.concussions/index.html?eref=sihp

Discuss.

It something that needs to be looked at hard but if I have a son I will encourage him to play football if he wants to and not even think twice about it. 

[Ralph Turner]

We ought to include soccer in this discussion as well.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/stories/s590278.htm

REFERENCES:
Matser EJ et al. Neuropsychological impairment in amateur soccer players.JAMA 1999 Sep 8;282(10):971-3
Matser JT et al. A dose-response relation of headers and concussions with cognitive impairment in professional soccer players. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2001 Dec;23(6):770-4

REFERENCE:
Guskiewicz KM et al. No evidence of impaired neurocognitive performance in collegiate soccer players. Am J Sports Med 2002 Mar-Apr;30(2):157-62

A 2009 article from Medscape.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/703796

[K-Mack]

A provocative article from si.com:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/paul_daugherty/06/29/kids.concussions/index.html?eref=sihp

Discuss.

It something that needs to be looked at hard but if I have a son I will encourage him to play football if he wants to and not even think twice about it. 

My kids are 5 and 4. One just played t-ball and both signed up for soccer.

I know what sports did for me in terms of self-discipline, self-esteem and developing drive and determination, plus it was gobs of fun ... so I'm going to encourage my children to play.

I know where the line is where you're pushing them to do something they don't want to. But I'm not sure where the line is in terms of risk of injury. There's always inherent risk with children, and there's risk that if you overprotect them they'll grow up to be softies who can't do things for themselves and bad things will happen because they never stepped out on any limbs. I don't mean to willfully ignore data on head injuries with my general philosophy, just don't know that I've seen anything (or experienced it) that would make me think the best idea is to generally encourage my children to avoid sports, contact or otherwise.