Here are five key points:
1. Dr. Bailes made this comment in response to an editorial written by his colleague, Bennet Omalu, MD, chief medical examiner of San Joaquin County, Calif. Dr. Omalu argued that adolescents shouldn’t play football due to concussion risks during brain development.
2. Dr. Bailes has collaborated with Dr. Omalu on various advisory boards and research on head injuries and football.
3. Although Dr. Bailes agrees with the research that NFL players may experience long-term brain damage from thousands of blows to their heads, he doesn’t see the same risk level for adolescents who experience less than 100 hits to the head all season.
4. As young athletes grow, so does the risk, as the number of impacts grows from 600 to 800 per high school season and more than 1,000 per college season.
5. Despite the risk of concussion damage, Dr. Bailes believes the sport is making great strides in limiting unnecessary contact and increasing safety standards.
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