The Hidden Dangers of Repeat Concussions in Teen Athletes: What Happens Inside the Developing Brain

The most dangerous effects of a concussion are invisible, happening at the cellular level in a process I call the “energy crisis.”

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By Brandon Crawford

Every Friday night across America, parents fill stadium bleachers to cheer on their teenage athletes. But beneath the excitement lies a neurological reality that most families never consider: when your teen gets “dinged” on the field, their brain begins a complex cascade of events that can alter how they think, learn, and function for months or even years to come.

As a functional neurologist who has treated many different types of brain injuries, I’ve seen firsthand how what appears to be a “minor” concussion can derail a young person’s academic performance, emotional stability, and future potential. An estimated 1.6 to 3.8 million sports-related concussions occur annually in the U.S., with high school athletes sustaining approximately 300,000 concussions per year. But these numbers only tell part of the story.

The real danger lies in what’s happening inside the teenage brain after that first hit, and why each subsequent concussion becomes exponentially more…