Practice+Tests

"I was dizzy when I tried to get up," David tells Scholastic News. Luckily, he was OK. But hits like that can be dangerous. They can cause a serious brain injury called a concussion. New studies show that concussions may damage the brain more than people once thought. And they are especially dangerous for kids. That’s because kids' brains are still growing. Now the country's largest youth-football organization, Pop Warner, is taking action. It recently made new rules to help prevent concussions.
 * David Grundy, 11, of New York loves playing football. But he knows it can be a rough sport. During one practice, he got tackled very hard. He was knocked off his feet. His head hit the ground.

Playing It Safe Most concussions that young football players get happen in practice. 80 now, during practice, Pop Warner football players who are more than nine feet apart can't charge at each other headfirst. There will also be fewer tackling drills. Kids are also being taught to recognize the symptorhs of a concussion. But those signs don’t always show up right away. Experts say that kids should stop playing after any hard hit to the head. They should also tell an adult, like a coach or a parent. When it comes to possible brain injuries, it’s best to play it safe. Dr. Julian Bailes works with Pop Warner. He says kids should follow a simple rule: When in doubt, sit out. || media type="custom" key="26686382" ||