We need to take head injuries seriously.

As brain awareness month began in Saskatchewan yesterday, we must remember to take head injuries seriously, especially in youth sports.

Too often people are too laissez-faire when discussion concussions in kids.

It shouldn’t be a badge of honour that a kid played through a concussion.

We shouldn’t be nonchalant when someone says they were likely concussed, or that they can’t remember what happened through most of their game after they got hit in the head.

We’re getting better at recognizing the signs of concussions and protecting the heads of our children, but we definitely haven’t come far enough.

It begins with parents and with amateur sport coaches.

Take concussions seriously. If your kid has had too many, they’re definitely not launching a professional sports career. It could also have an effect on their life, as brain injuries can be quite serious and there is no cure.

We also have to look to our role models, the professional leagues where owners and some fans continue to push back against efforts to make sports safer and better protect athletes.

There’s nothing wimpy about caring for our heads, and nothing honourable about putting our brains at risk for some misguided notion of being ‘tough’.

As was stated at Tuesday’s Brain Awareness Month launch, prevention is the only cure.

Head injuries need to be taken seriously, especially with children.

Whether it’s organized sports, ATV or bike rides, horseback trips or recreation, we have to make sure we look after our heads.

We only have one brain and it’s incredibly important.

So lets set a good example for our children by taking care of our own brains and making sure that they do the same.

Prince Albert Daily Herald