Political Quotes

“on Friday night in Illinois and all over the country thousands of high school students will take to the football field. They will put on helmets, they will put on pads, but unfortunately some of them will still get hurt. Almost half the concussions in high school sports occur in football. But it is not just football. Injuries are a part of all sports, but as we learn more about the long-term effects of concussions and how frequently they are ignored, it is clear we have to step up our game to confront this health risk. The National Federation of State High School Associations estimates about 140,000 students who play high school sports have concussions every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the number of children age 19 and younger being treated in ERs for traumatic brain injuries went from 153,373 in 2001 to 248,418 in 2009--a 60 percent increase. Some students stay in the game not recognizing the risks of playing hurt--especially when they have had a concussion. Many athletes do not know the signs and symptoms of concussion, which may cause many concussions to go undetected. A 2010 Government Accountability Office study found many sports- related concussions go unreported. Athletes who continue to play while concussed are at risk for catastrophic injury if they sustain another concussion before recovering from the first one. This second injury can cause symptoms that can last for months and can even be fatal.…”