The fact that a Sharon High School sophomore had to get surgery after collapsing on the sidelines during a Thanksgiving game means his injuries are serious, according to traumatic brain injury experts, but it is something people can recover from.
Rohan Shukla suffered traumatic brain injuries while playing football at Sharon High School against Easton’s Oliver Ames. Rohan was first taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton, then transferred to Mass General in Boston, according to school officials. Shukla had brain surgery, according to a GoFundMe setup by his teammate.
“Whenever any individual suffers from a traumatic brain injury it’s catastrophic and when a kid suffers from one that’s doubly so,” said Dr. Dan Daneshvar, Harvard Medical Center’s Chief of Brain Injury Rehabilitation. “Some people recover almost completely back to where they were before. Others have more prolonged symptoms.
The superintendent and high school principal issued a statement Monday saying in part, quote, “All of our energy, attention and care is being given to our student, his family and all students, staff and members of the Sharon community.” School officials say they will give us an update on his condition when appropriate.
Experts say there are 500 million head impacts each year on the high school level, but there are some safety steps student athletes can take to help protect themselves.
“Make sure that they’re following the rules, wearing appropriate equipment that is properly sized to them,” Daneshvar said, adding that the most important thing for anyone suffering from a traumatic brain injury is getting evaluated and treated properly “to maximize their functional recovery.”
There’s also room for improvement when it comes to safety on the field, according to local experts. The National Football League is making changes to mitigate brain injuries like the new kick-off rule, but they don’t always trickle down to the high school level according to CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation Chris Nowinski.
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“It’s the most dangerous play in the game,” Nowinski said. “The fact that we’re not as aggressively changing the rules at the lower levels of football and we have children playing is troubling.”
