The Looming Danger Behind Concussions

By Dr. Brian McDonough

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- If you have been following the NFL's take on concussions, you are probably confused.

In front of Congress, a senior vice president for the NFL testified that concussions progress to CTE in certain victims.

Symptoms of CTE are wide ranging. They can be anything from depression to dementia. Later in well publicized news stories, two NFL owners who are not physicians, Jerry Jones and Jim Irsay, scoffed at a connection.

History can educate us: for many years the tobacco industry looked at long term damage from cigarettes and downplayed issues like lung cancer, and second hand smoke damage until studies were overwhelming. Leading scientists have looked at evidence and have written of present dangers. The theory is that over time, with further study, we will learn damage from head trauma could be significantly worse than we think it is now. Ultimately you make the decision for your children. At the very least include your doctor in the conversation.