Heads Up On Concussions
Download 0.58 Mb.
|
Heads Up On Concussions
Rowan Stringer was the 17-year-old captain of her high school rugby team. The Ottawa teen took a major hit to the head after a tackle during a game in 2013 and never regained consciousness. It was later discovered that she’d suffered three concussions in the week before her death. In December, the Ontario government introduced ‘Rowan’s Law.’ If passed, this first-in-Canada legislation for all youth sports teams in the province is designed to make sure that players, coaches and parents receive information about head injuries. It outlines protocols for when to sit athletes, and ensures that they don’t return to play until they are medically cleared to do so. “We’re confident that if Rowan had [this] knowledge she wouldn’t have died,” said her mother, Kathleen Stringer.
A concussion is an injury to the brain. It is caused by a blow to the head, a fall or any movement that shakes the brain inside the skull. The brain is a soft organ surrounded by spinal fluid and protected by a hard skull. Normally the fluid acts like a cushion for the brain, but if the blow is hard enough, the brain can crash into the skull and be damaged. Children and youth have developing brains that are particularly susceptible to concussions. They also take longer to recover. But with rest, some 80 to 90 percent of concussions resolve themselves within seven to 10 days. The worst thing someone with a concussion can do? ‘Tough it out,’ keep playing, and risk a further concussion. A brain that is still recovering from an earlier trauma is more sensitive to damage. Repeated concussions increase the risk of serious, long-term injury. In Rowan’s case, although she told friends she felt “dizzy and spaced out,” she didn’t say anything to her parents or her coach. Heading The Ball As we become more aware of the dangers of concussion in youth sports, one area receiving particular scrutiny is the practice of heading in soccer. “You’ve got a ball flying through space with momentum and you are using your head to stop that momentum,” says sports medicine physician Dr. David Robinson. His concern is that these repeated ‘sub-concussion’ impacts may cause long-term effects on the brain. “What I worry about is not the obvious concussion but the little multiple bumps along the way that might cause chronic neurologic problems. The truth is, we don’t know.” Until we do, prevention is key, especially for children who have not developed the neck muscle strength to execute a safe header. The Canadian Paediatric Society has warned against the practice at youth games and, in the United States, players under 10 were recently banned from heading the ball. Following Protocol When concussions are properly managed, there is usually no cause for long-term concern. That’s why many Canadian experts are calling for a standard concussion protocol that would apply to every youth sports organization in the country, kicking in any time there is a suspected brain injury. At present, sports organizations across the country are governed by a patchwork of policies or, in some cases, none at all. “We’re missing a huge amount of minor concussions that most of the time will, by luck, resolve without consequences. But a few of those kids will get a second hit that will constitute a very bad episode of concussion that could have been prevented by early detection. That’s what needs to change,” says Dr. Pierre Freemont, chair of the Canadian Concussion Collaborative (CCC). The Collaborative includes the Canadian Medical Association and the Canadian Paediatric Society.
Nobody is saying that kids shouldn’t play team sports. “There are lots of positives to be taken from team sport,” says Toronto neurosurgeon Dr. Charles Tator. “I’m not in favour of parents withdrawing.” However, he does advise parents to walk away from any league without a concussion protocol in place. “The brain is too important to allow that. We can fix so many sport injuries but the brain is not one we are very good at fixing.”
Concussions In Pro Sports In the newly-released movie “Concussion,” actor Will Smith portrays Bennet Omalu, a doctor whose autopsies of former NFL football players led to the discovery of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Even before this movie was released, concussions among professional athletes were making headlines. For example, NHL star Sidney Crosby sat out for months after suffering a concussion in 2014. Meanwhile, the National Football League, accused of hiding the risks of repeated head injuries for years, has agreed to a $1-billion concussion settlement with thousands of former players. Both leagues have adopted new concussion protocols over the last few years. In 2011 the NHL began requiring players to report to a doctor for assessment after taking a hit to the head. And in 2013, the NFL brought in rules forcing players with a suspected concussion to receive clearance from doctors before returning to play. Did You Know? All 50 U.S. states already have laws stating how youth concussions should be managed. About Concussions Physical concussion symptoms include headache, blurred vision, and sensitivity to light and noise. Injured players may experience nausea and vomiting, dizziness or balance problems. They can feel tired and have no energy. Emotional or mood symptoms include being easily irritated or upset, sad, nervous or anxious. People with a concussion also may not be able to think clearly. They can be confused, unable to concentrate, unable to remember new information, and feel ‘slowed down.’ They may sleep more or less than usual or have difficulty going to sleep. Any person who may have had a concussion needs to see a doctor. Some people feel normal again in a few hours, while others have symptoms that last weeks or months. The best way to recover is to rest – mentally and physically. Get plenty of sleep and don’t immediately return to work or school. Some other tips? Limit TV watching, computers and video games. Stay away from alcohol and stimulants of all types. Talk to teachers, coaches, family and friends so that they understand. Once you are symptom-free, you will slowly return to normal activities in a series of gradual steps. Athletes must be symptom-free for 24 hours at one level of activity before moving on to the next. A doctor should make the final call. chronic: lasting for a long period of time or marked by frequent recurrence, as certain diseases Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE): a degenerative brain disease that is believed to be linked to concussions momentum: the quantity of motion of a moving body, measured as a product of its mass and velocity neurologic: to do with the science of the nerves and the nervous system, especially of the diseases affecting them protocol: the plan for a course of medical treatment or for a scientific experiment susceptible: likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing On The Lines 1. Explain what a concussion is. 2. What are the usual symptoms of a concussion? 3. What is the best way to recover from a concussion? 4. Who is especially susceptible to concussions? 5. What is the worst thing a person with a concussion can do? 6. Why are some medical professionals concerned about soccer? 7. Describe how sports organizations across Canada deal with concussions. 8. Which province is considering adopting a law to govern concussions in youth sports? 9. What is the purpose of this proposed law? Between The Lines An inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence. A plausible inference is supported by evidence in the article and is consistent with known facts outside of the article. What inference(s) can you draw from the fact that at present, sports organizations across Canada are governed by a patchwork of policies on concussion management, or none at all, while in the U.S., all 50 states have laws stating how youth concussions should be managed?
Rowan Stringer officially died from something called second impact syndrome – a very rare condition in which a second concussion occurs before a first concussion has properly healed, causing rapid and severe brain swelling. Learn more about this syndrome, CTE, or any other disease or condition that can develop as a result of head injuries. Just Talk About It 1. For what reasons are you in favour of a Canada-wide protocol to manage concussions? For what reasons are you opposed? Explain. Overall, are you more in favour of or more opposed to a Canada-wide concussion protocol? Give reasons to support your response. 2. As you see it, does concussion management in pro-sports affect how concussions are viewed or handled by youth sports teams? Why or why not?
Visit our student website at www.news4youth.com and click on the What in the World? tab to: 1. Read about and link to the first comprehensive paediatric guidelines on youth concussions, as authored by medical researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation (or visit http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/concussion-experts-in-ottawa-launch-guidelines-for-treating-kids-1.2686098). 2. See an explanation of the NFL’s concussion crisis called “The NFL’s concussion crisis, explained” on YouTube (or visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnAmddi52Y8). 3. Watch a PBS interview with Dr. Bennet Omalu, the man who discovered and named “chronic traumatic encephalopathy” or CTE (or visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sports/league-of-denial/the-frontline-interview-dr-bennet-omalu/#seg1). Then, watch the trailer for a recent movie that was made about him (or visit
4. Visit the Rowan's Law website and a National Post feature on Rowan’s Law to find out more about Rowan, concussions, and Ontario’s new concussion legislation (or visit http://rowanslaw.ca/ and http://news.nationalpost.com/features/rowans-law). 5. Find out more about concussions by watching "Brain 101: What’s a Concussion?” (or visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5hlm3FRFYU).
Write the letter that corresponds to the best answer on the line beside each question: ______ 1. Which of the following is NOT a concussion symptom?
______ 2. Which sport league has agreed to pay $1 billion to players who suffered concussions? a) NBA b) NFL c) NHL d) MLB e) CFL ______ 3. Which province may adopt a law governing concussions in youth sports? a) Nova Scotia b) Quebec c) Ontario d) Saskatchewan e) Alberta ______ 4. True or False? All U.S. states have laws governing concussion injuries in youth sports. ______ 5. True or False? Young soccer players in the United Kingdom are not allowed to head the ball. 6. What advice would you give to the federal minister of sport regarding concussions in youth sports? Give reasons to support your response. World’s Richest Shipwreck Found 
Avast ye! It sounds like a pirate’s fantasy! A 308-year-old ship called the San Jose, carrying gold coins and jewels worth as much as $17 billion in U.S. currency, has been found at the bottom of the ocean off the coast of the South American nation of Colombia. A Sunken Treasure Trove Juan Manuel Santos, the president of Colombia, tweeted excitedly about the find on December 5, declaring the discovery “Great News!” Mr. Santos then posted an underwater video that showed pots, bottles and a cannon. Experts say the artifacts prove the ship was the San Jose. President Santos said an international team led by Colombia’s Institute of Anthropology and History and the Colombian navy made the discovery on November 27. The vessel was found about 305 metres below the surface of the ocean and about 25 kilometres from the walled Colombian port city of Cartagena. The 18th-century ship, which belonged to Spain’s King Philip the Fifth, was an old Spanish galleon. Maritime experts say it is the most important Spanish shipwreck ever to be located. A Battle Ends Badly The story really starts on the hot and moonless night of May 28th, 1708, when there was very little wind to power the mighty San Jose. The 600-sailor galleon, armed with 64 guns and escorted by 16 other ships, was on its way to Spanish-allied France. It was weighed down by some 11 million gold coins and jewels, worth more than Spain usually earned in three years. The wealth was meant to help pay for France and Spain’s War of Spanish Succession against the British. The priceless cargo had been plundered from colonies that the Spanish controlled at the time. The quiet was soon pierced by cannon fire when four British warships confronted the San Jose and her escorts. After a 90-minute battle, the San Jose suddenly exploded, then sank into the Caribbean Sea. Adventurers have been searching for it ever since.
Now that the ship has finally been found, three different groups are arguing over who owns the riches waiting to be recovered from the bottom of the ocean. In fact, the ship has been at the heart of a legal battle that began in 1982. That’s when Sea Search Armada (SSA), a U.S. company, announced that it had found the San Jose’s resting place 213 metres below the water’s surface. Jake Harbeston, managing director of SSA, said investors had spent $10 million to find the San Jose. That’s more than $24 million in 2016 U.S. dollars. In 1984, however, Colombia’s government overturned a law that would have given half to the locators of the shipwreck. That ruling slashed Sea Search Armada’s portion to five percent. SSA launched a lawsuit against Colombia over the issue, but in 2011, U.S. courts dismissed the claim and declared that the galleon belonged to Colombia. Pinpointing The Site Since the announcement of the discovery, even SSA’s five-percent share of the riches may be in question. The reason? The Colombian government claims it used new meteorological and underwater mapping techniques to locate the ship – and found it in a different place. For their part, SSA representatives think the claim of a new location is a scheme. They believe Colombian officials are looking for an excuse not to share the wealth. “[They] may have been the one to find it but this really just reconfirms what we told them in 1982,” says Danilo Devis, a lawyer who works for SSA. Other Claims? Spain also says it should get a portion of the treasure because it originally owned the ship. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Garcia‑Margallo said he believes international law specifies that wrecks like the San Jose belong to the state that built and funded them. He added that Spain is willing to reach an agreement with Colombia over the ship and its contents. He warned, however, that his country would take its case to the United Nations if the two countries don’t come to terms. “This can be resolved in a friendly way,” Mr. Garcia-Margallo said. “[Colombia] will understand our demands and that we are defending our interests just as we understand their demands and that they are defending their interests.” The San Jose also carried the stolen wealth of several present South American nations, including Peru and Bolivia. Will they make a claim? Recovering The Ship In the meantime, the ship still remains at the bottom of the sea. Colombia’s Supreme Court says the San Jose must be recovered before the international dispute over the fortune can be settled. That won’t happen quickly. Colombia’s President Santos says the recovery effort could take years. Still, after so many centuries, just pinning down the site of the ship is a remarkable accomplishment. “[Locating the San Jose is] one of the biggest findings and identifications of underwater heritage in the history of humanity,” President Santos said. A Mighty Sailing Ship The wooden ship that carried the treasure trove found near Colombia was a Spanish galleon. A galleon was a class of vessel, with huge sails and many decks, that could weigh over 1,000 tonnes. The San Jose was about 46 metres long. Galleons were used between the 15th and 18th centuries for sea battles, or for carrying items to trade with other countries. The San Jose is one of about 1,200 galleons and merchant ships lost near the coral reefs that dot Colombia’s seabeds. The War Of Spanish Succession The War of Spanish Succession was a major war of the 18th century. It began after Charles II, King of Spain, died in 1700 without an heir. In his will he gave the crown to the French prince Philip of Anjou. Philip’s grandfather, Louis XIV of France, then proclaimed him King of Spain, and declared that France and Spain would be united. French power was already feared in Europe, so Britain, Holland, Prussia, and Austria declared war on France, hoping to prevent the alliance and gain control of the extensive Spanish colonial empire and its many riches. By 1708, the French had been defeated in several battles and Louis XIV’s coffers were all but empty from the prolonged fight. The situation wasn’t looking good for France – but then a change of government in Britain and the death of Emperor Joseph I in Austria led to the end the fighting. Under the Treaty of Utrecht, signed in 1713, Philip became King of Spain on the condition that Spain and France would never be united. As well, parts of the Spanish Empire were divided among the countries that had participated in the war. Spain gave up Gibraltar and the monopoly of the slave trade with Latin America. France gave up Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and the Hudson Bay territories to Britain. artifact: a simple object, such as a tool or weapon, that was made by people in the past cargo: something that is carried from one place to another by boat, airplane, etc. colony: a place where a group of people come to settle which is under the control of their home country currency: the money that a country uses heritage: the traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of the history of a group or nation lawsuit: a process by which a court of law makes a decision to end a disagreement between people or organizations meteorology: a science that deals with the atmosphere and weather plunder: to steal things from a place by force On The Lines Answer the following in complete sentences: 1. Explain what a galleon is. 2. Name the shipwreck that was recently located and explain where it was found. 3. What cargo was this ship carrying when it sank? 4. List at least four other important facts about this vessel. 5. Where did the treasure on board the San Jose come from? 6. Explain where this cargo was headed and why. 7. Describe what happened to this ship in 1708. 8. Identify the three claims that have been made for the treasure. 9. What other claims might also be made for the valuable treasure? Between the Lines An inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence. A plausible inference is supported by evidence in the article and is consistent with known facts outside of the article. What inference(s) can you draw from the fact that the San Jose is just one of about 1,200 galleons and merchant ships lost near the coral reefs that dot Colombia’s seabeds?
Being a treasure hunter sounds exciting, but is it? How are treasures actually found? Learn about the modern techniques and technologies that are used for such work. Is this a job that you would enjoy? Just Talk About It 1. Fictional treasure-hunter and archeologist Indiana Jones was always in it for his museum. He believed that lost and ancient relics should be available for all to see. The villains, meanwhile, always wanted to sell the items to the highest bidder. What do you think is more important: preserving the past or making money? Give reasons to support your response. 2. Finders keepers? Historical claims vs. laws of the sea? Let’s imagine that the value of the treasure is indeed $17 billion. How would you divide up the wealth? Explain your decisions. (And, no, you and your class can’t have any.) How do you predict the wealth will actually be divided? 3. What if… the San Jose had made it to France with its treasure? Explain. On-Line Visit our student website at www.news4youth.com and click on the What in the World? tab to: 1. Watch an ABC news story on YouTube called “Colombia Claims to Find Multi-Billion Dollar Shipwreck” about the discovery of the San Jose (or visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4G0UnbEocs). 2. Journey into deep waters with the Discovery Channel documentary “Treasure Hunters - Episode 7: The Gold Fishers (History Documentary)” that shows how ocean treasure-hunting is done in the 21st century (or visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7-xeDWarVQ). 3. Read more about the San Jose’s journey (or visit http://www.treasureexpeditions.com/shipwreck_san_jose_treasure_1.htm). 4. Follow the Sea Search Armada on Facebook (or visit
Write the letter that corresponds to the best answer on the line beside each question: ______ 1. Which country was Spain’s ally during the War of Spanish Succession?
______ 2. Near which country did the San Jose sink? a) Mexico b) Panama c) Brazil d) Colombia e) Cuba ______ 3. Who first claimed that it had discovered the San Jose? a) the government of Colombia b) Sea Search Armada c) the government of Spain d) the government of Peru e) AquaBounty Technologies ______ 4. True or False? The San Jose sank after it was chased by British warships and ran aground. ______ 5. True or False? The San Jose carried very valuable diamonds and religious artifacts. 6. How do you think the San Jose’s treasure should be divided? Which group or country has the strongest claim? Which group or country has the weakest claim? Give reasons to support your response. Toxic Air 
Most Canadian students look forward to school closures on snow days. But when outdoor conditions forced shutdowns in Beijing, China’s capital, on December 8, it was no cause for celebration. Instead, the government issued a first-ever red alert – its highest pollution warning – because the quality of the city’s air was putting everyone’s health in danger. Those who dared to venture outside risked inhaling poisonous Download 0.58 Mb. Share with your friends:
|