Monday, May 5, 2014

Concussion prevention program comes to Mira Mesa High

Dr. David Bazzo, with the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at UC San Diego Health System, joined the Mira Mesa High Marauders as the team physician this year to help coaches, students, and parents learn about concussion prevention, symptoms, and treatment.
On the field
Through his efforts as team physician, Bazzo gives concussion presentations to the coaches and players and conducts online, pre-season testing on each athlete. He also helps parents become advocates by teaching them the concussion signs to look for on and off the field.

“It’s important for coaches, students and parents to learn about concussion prevention, symptoms and treatment. Once an athlete suffers from one concussion, he or she is at higher risk for future concussions, which could cause more severe issues. If not properly evaluated, returning to activity too soon after an injury can lead to Second Impact Syndrome, causing bleeding in the brain or even fatality,” said Bazzo. 


Bazzo and his team, made up of UC San Diego Health System residents and students, spend countless hours working with the staff and families at Mira Mesa High. The work of Bazzo and his team is being used as a model for other concussion programs implemented at high schools in San Diego County that also involved UC San Diego Health System physicians.

“This is a serious topic that needs to be addressed in our community,” said Bazzo. “Being part of an academic hospital setting, we are able to apply what we learn from ongoing research done at UC San Diego Health System to young athletes and future generations.”


Read more about this program on the UC San Diego Health System website.