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Episode 43: The Brain on Youth Sports with Dr. Julie Stamm
Like many parents, I find it so important for our children to have daily opportunities for physical activity. I am a lover of sports and recognize that there are so many benefits to exposing our children to sports at a young age. With that said, I can’t ignore the damaging effects that some sports have on the developing brain. There has been a lot of information in the news about the impact of tackling in football on the brain, which is why I have brought Dr. Julie Stamm on the podcast to interview her about what her research has concluded. It is not my intention to create fear, but rather provide education in order for you to make informed decisions when it comes to your family.
Dr. Julie Stamm is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She brings a unique perspective on the issue of repetitive brain trauma in youth sports as a scientist in the field, an anatomist with knowledge of childhood development, and an athletic trainer who has provided medical care for athletes. She believes children can both enjoy sports and protect their brain. She is also the author of The Brain on Youth Sports: The Science, The Myths, and The Future.
In this episode we discuss:
- The damaging effects that sports have on the brain in young children
- What Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is and what the symptoms may look like
- Myths surrounding brain injuries in children who play sports
- The changes occurring in sports worldwide to prevent brain injuries in youth
- Precautions you can take when your children play high-impact sports
Resources:
- The Brain on Youth Sports
- Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings
- Concussion Legacy Foundation Flag Football Under 14
Connect with Dr. Julie Stamm:
Here’s what you’ll need for Dr. Stamm’s lasagna pizza recipe:
- Store-bought pizza crust
- Pesto (you can use a red pizza sauce, too)
- 2-3 cooked lasagna noodles, placed over the sauce
- Several scoops of ricotta cheese, somewhat spread over the noodles
- Mozzarella and parmesan, or whatever cheese you like
- Mushrooms and/or cherry tomatoes, or whatever veggies you would like and have on hand
Connect with Lynzy:
- Join the Motherhood Meets Medicine community at patreon.com/motherhoodmeetsmedicine
- Instagram: @motherhoodmeetsmedicine
- Sign up for the weekly newsletter here
Questions Asked In The Episode:
- What sports are we looking at that cause consistent, concussive, brain trauma to our youth?
- Why is a young person’s brain so vulnerable and what does it mean in relation to the sports with high impacts?
- Why are concussions and repetitive brain trauma of particular concern for young athletes when we compare them to adults?
- What is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and when should parents be concerned?
- What is the treatment of CTE?
- How are they diagnosing CTE?
- What are some myths about brain injury in children?
- What do you suggest to keep children safe in sports without the risk of concussive brain trauma?
- Is it true that you can tackle as young as five in youth football?
- Is there a suggested age range where children wouldn’t be as affected with high impact sports?
- Have you seen anything in the research that shows brain impact to those that only played around eight years of football?
- What are the odds of a brain injury in tackle football?
- Is it one big hit to be more worried about or multiple that parents should be more concerned about?
- Have football helmets really “come so far” that it is safe for our young kids to play?
- What sports would you let your children play?
- Do you agree with the NFL stance of no tackling before the age of fourteen?
