Kids' ER concussion visits up 60 pct over decade

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http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MED_KIDS_CONCUSSIONS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-10-06-12-56-26

ATLANTA (AP) -- The number of athletic children going to hospitals with concussions is up 60 percent in the past decade, a finding that is likely due to parents and coaches being more careful about getting head injuries treated, according to a new federal study.

"It's a good increase, if that makes any sense," said Steven Marshall, interim director of the University of North Carolina's Injury Prevention and Research Center.

"These injuries were always there. It's not that there are more injuries now. It's just that now people are getting treatment that they weren't getting before," said Marshall, who was not involved in the new research.

Bicycling and football were the leading reasons for the kids' brain injuries, but health officials said that could be at least partly related to the popularity of those activities. For example, it's possible many more kids bike, so a larger number of bike-related injuries would be expected.