Instances of playground concussions are increasing, according to a new CDC sponsored study published in Pediatrics.
For the study, CDC researchers examined national data collected between 2001 and 2013 regarding playground-related injuries in children 14 and younger. Of the 215,000 children treated annually for injuries incurred on the playground, nearly 10 percent — approximately 21,000 — had a traumatic brain injury.
Monkey bars and swings were the pieces of equipment most commonly associated with concussions.
Researchers found that in 2005, 23 out of 100,000 kids injured on the playground had traumatic brain injuries. By 2013, that rate ticked up to 48 out of 100,000. The increase could be due to increased awareness in parents regarding concussion injuries and necessary treatment, or more children could simply be using the playground equipment.
Jeneita Bell, MD, a CDC brain injury specialist who co-authored the study, said in a Medical Xpress article that the results highlight "that sports is not the only important cause of concussions and other traumatic brain injuries for children."