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Concussion Concerns: Tackle Football vs Flag

"The more we learn about a child's brain the more we realize that preventing and avoiding injury early on would be beneficial," says Dr. Jeffrey Holloway from Palmetto Health USC.

The conversation surrounding new concussion research is not just happening in the NFL, it's happening nationwide, including right here in South Carolina.

In Fort Mill, SC the athletic director for the city's recreation sports department, Justin Davis, says they starting offering an alternative to tackle football after parents became more concerned with their children getting concussions.

The city league now offers flag football for ages 5 to 12.

Davis says he has seen a significant decline in signs ups for tackle football in the last 3 years.

Neighboring city Tega Cay replaced its tackle football leagues with flag football back in 2016.

States including Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, New York, and California have introduced bills to ban tackle football for kids under 12.

Doctor Jeffery Holloway, a pediatric sports medicine physician with Palmetto Health USC, says a child is 8 times more likely to have a concussion again if they stress their brain and do not treat it properly.

"The more we learn about a child's brain the more we realize that preventing and avoiding injury early on would be beneficial," says Holloway.

"Switching from tackle to flag football is something I think is helpful in preventing some of the injuries," he says.

It's important to remember that every child will respond to these injuries and recover differently. Some people are more prone to concussions than others.

Holloway says students should wait until they are at least 12 years old before they start contact sports.

RELATED: Youth Sports-related injuries on the rise; Here's how to prevent them

Experts add that every child can react differently to a concussion, making it important for parents to watch for any irregularities in their child's behavior.

"If you feel not like yourself at all, let's try to be more safe than sorry and assume it's a concussion and then stay out of the game and treat it appropriately," Holloway added.

The key to properly recovering from a concussion is patience. Everyone recovers at different speeds. Waiting for a full recovery can help prevent future concussions.

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