Divorce, Effect on Development

Excerpt Childhood experiences of divorce affect multiple domains of development. Cognitive, emotional and physical areas of a child’s development may be impacted by the separation. Models of development which take into account both biological and environmental influences suggest that problems of divorce impact the parental practices towards the children which lead to difficulties in emotional regulation and insecurity. These arenas impact health in both explicit health risk behaviors as well as biological responses within the body. The combination of these seen and unseen processes contribute to an overall impact on health

Physical Growth, Adolescent

Excerpt Adolescents experience a period of substantial growth between puberty and adulthood. This growth spurt typically occurs between ages 12 and 18, and is associated with various physical changes due to fluctuations in hormones. These changes are manifested in an individual’s height, weight, and sexual characteristics, and there is considerable variation between each individual for when these changes occur

Community Awareness of Youth Sport Related Concussion: A Neuropsychological Perspective

There continues to be growing public awareness regarding concussions and the detrimental effects sustaining such an injury can have on one’s life. Of increased importance is the understanding of how concussions impact children and adolescents, particularly as a result of sport engagements. Contact sports involving youth account for 41% of the concussions seen in emergency departments (Waltzman et al., 2020). Of note, hospital estimates tend to underrepresent the total number of sport-related concussions as they do not factor patients treated in a community setting (Bazarian et al., 2020). In consideration of this public health epidemic, there is a current projection of 1.6 to 3.8 million concussions per year in the United States (Hiasat & Nischal, 2020). This number is based on individuals and their families who sought out treatment and neglects to account for the injuries that are unreported for a variety of reasons (e.g., injuries that the individual, their parents, coaches, athletic director, or the community did not recognize as a sustained concussion at the time of or after the injury). While there have been efforts to better educate youth athletes, their parents, and the community, large gaps in knowledge and misconceptions prevail regarding the definition of a concussion and what to do in the case of a potential concussion. In attempts to address these deficits, this article strives to define and expand upon various components associated with concussions. Factors to be addressed in this current review consist of the signs and symptoms of concussion, methods of diagnosis, the process of returning to learn and play (following an evaluation), and the various factors that impact the recovery process