It’s summertime, and the livin’ may be easy, but that doesn’t mean parents can let their defenses down when it comes to their children’s health and safety. Quite the opposite, since the rate of accidents increases as the weather gets warmer.

The myriad of ways kids can be injured, sometimes seriously and permanently, is longer than can be detailed here. While children still break arms and legs, they also suffer spinal cord and brain injuries that can require acute inpatient rehabilitation and long-term outpatient therapy that offer no guarantee of a complete recovery. Better than 50% of pediatric spinal cord injuries are accompanied by some level of paralysis and even the mildest brain injuries can significantly impact a child’s ability to perform daily activities and master tasks at school.  

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Brain injuries are the No. 1 cause of death and disability in Americans under age 35, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Now, a new technology that looks at your eyes can help doctors diagnose brain injuries better than any other tool. WCCO’s Natalie Nyhus spoke with a neurosurgeon about how the test works.


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This offseason, Anthony Davis of the 49ers unexpectedly retired recently at the age of 25, explaining in a letter, "This will be a time to allow my Brain and Body a chance to heal. I know many won't understand my decision, that's OK."

Not many people can relate to a decision that involves walking away from millions of dollars and a successful career. Likewise, not many people can relate to the threat of serious as part of their profession. Davis suffered a concussion in week 11 of the 2014 season and described the injury at the time. "It's scary when your brain's not working the way it's supposed to," he disclosed per ESPN.

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Changes in behavior caused by Alzheimer’s or other dementia can be the most upsetting and challenging aspect of the disease for caregivers. These changes can include irritability, anxiety, emotional distress, depression, verbal outbursts, physical aggression, and even hallucination or delusions.

Antipsychotic medication is often prescribed to lessen these “behavioral expressions,” but have many negative side effects, including gait and balance disturbance, falls, decrease in levels of cognition, diminished ability with activities of daily living, increased cardiovascular events (such as heart attack and stroke) and risk of death.

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