Concussion Goggles Teaching Indiana Teens the Dangers of Brain Injuries

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1.7 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year. One of the leading age demographics for this particular type of injury are adolescents between ages 15-19. Most of these injuries are sustained while playing sports, considering 5 to 10 percent of athletes suffer a TBI during the playing season. The Indianapolis brain injury lawyers at Stewart & Stewart Attorneys explain that in order to help reduce the number of Indiana teens who suffer TBIs, one organization is working to raise awareness about how a concussion can affect our ability to perform everyday tasks. This is being achieved through the distribution and use of what is known as concussion goggles. An article from The Star Press states the goggles work by simulating the effects a TBI can have on our abilities to see and perceive time and space. Officials with the Dave Duerson Athletic Fund—who are providing the 60 pairs of goggles to Indiana Public Schools—hope that seeing the effects a TBI can have will persuade young athletes to work to avoid such injuries, as well as seek medical attention if they suspect they have suffered a TBI. So far, the program has been deemed a success, with one 16-year-old participant claiming she would “think twice” if she suspected she or a teammate had suffered a TBI. Recognizing the dangers of a TBI is the first step toward preventing such injuries from occurring, which is why the Indianapolis personal injury attorneys at Stewart & Stewart are hopeful to see these concussion goggles making their ways into the hands of young athletes from all across the state of Indiana.