Sports-related brain injuries among children on the rise, with hockey leading the way

The Canadian Institute for Health Information released a report Tuesday highlighting a big increase in emergency room visits in Alberta for sport-related concussions over the past five years. 

The report uses combined data from Ontario and Alberta and shows there were twice as many brain injuries from hockey as there were from other sports, including a 78 per cent increase for those nine and under, and a 45 per cent increase among those 10 to 17 years old.

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Lasting damage

Ash Kolstad doesn’t need a report to understand the effects of a concussion.

Ash Kolstad hasn’t played hockey since he was 12, after suffering a concussion from a hit. (Ash Kolstad)

When has was 12, he was hit during the first game of his peewee season and immediately started feeling dizzy and developed a headache. 

He never played hockey again. 

“I was seeing a sport medicine doctor, a family doctor, a physiotheraprist, a pyschologist, a psychiatrist, a neurologist and an osteopath,” said Kolstad, who’s now 19.

“I have a headache even today from that, ever since that hit.”

‘Diagnosing more concussions’

Dr. Raj Bardwaj is a family doctor in Calgary and said he’s not surprised by the report’s findings. 

“I think we’re all diagnosing more concussions, partly because we’re seeing more people come in and bring their kids in,” he said.

“We need to do something about hockey and how we’re letting young kids and teenagers play hockey.”

Kolstad said eliminating bodychecking at the peewee level was a good start.

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