It has been seen for decades. People get hit in the head, they stumble and fall. The world around them spins and it seems like at any moment, they could pass out. It has been seen in sports for as long as they have been around and now it is really coming to light. Concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy are gaining more and more attention in the world of hockey as more and more athletes are being diagnosed with concussions and CTE is being diagnosed post-mortem. The biggest question that arises when CTE is discussed is the most simple. What is CTE? Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in athletes (and others) with a history of repetitive brain trauma, including symptomatic concussions …show more content…
As Dr. L. Syd. Johnson said in her article, Concussion in youth ice hockey: It’s time to break the cycle, “The recommendation of the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine to eliminate bodychecking in all levels of minor hockey except elite leagues, and then only for players aged 16 and older, is a reasonable compromise that acknowledges the need for specialized training for a select few at the elite level of play.” (Johnson). If bodychecking was eliminated at a young age, this would reduce the number of concussions that children would get, thus in turn reducing the overall total amount of concussions received by hockey …show more content…
CNAs may not know that someone they are working with had CTE, but it can be inferred from their symptoms and how much repetitive brain trauma they have had. Being a CNA and working with someone who has CTE, even if they aren’t diagnosed, can mean that specialized care has to be enforced. It would be much like working with someone who has dementia, since long-term CTE can lead to full-blown dementia (Boston University 2010). This means that the CNA will have watch the patient carefully to make sure that they will not fall, as CTE can cause Parkinsonism (Boston University 2009). The CNA will also have to be sure that a patient with CTE will be informed and understand what is going on, as they are more likely to forget something with the symptom of short-term memory loss playing as a factor. CNAs will have to be able to communicate effectively; this includes being patient with someone who is more likely to be frustrated and suffering from emotional instability, and dealing with forgetfulness. All of the information that has been learned can be very beneficial to someone wanting to go into the sports medicine field or athletic training. They will be able to keep a close eye on athletes who have suffered from repetitive concussions to make sure that CTE does not have to become a factor in their