Dr. Bennet Omalu Says Parents Should Not Let Children Play Football

December 7, 2015   ·   Timothy Rapp   ·   Jump to comments

Dr. Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist and leading expert in the growing field of concussion research, wrote in an op-ed piece Monday for the New York Times that children should be prevented from playing football before the age of 18:
Our children are minors who have not reached the age of consent. It is our moral duty as a society to protect the most vulnerable of us. The human brain becomes fully developed at about 18 to 25 years old. We should at least wait for our children to grow up, be provided with the information and education on the risk of play, and let them make their own decisions. No adult, not a parent or a coach, should be allowed to make this potentially life-altering decision for a child.
Omalu brings up several points to back up this assertion. For starters, he notes research has led to the conclusion that repeated blows to the head can lead to permanent brain damage, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE.
CTE can cause ...

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