DEAR HARRIETTE: My little brother has it in his head that he wants to be a football star. He has been playing football since he was in first grade. Now he’s in middle school and he’s doing pretty well, but last weekend he got hurt on the field. The coach says he will be fine, but my parents are freaked out because they’ve heard all this stuff about concussions leading to major brain injuries later in life. They are talking about pulling him from football entirely. My brother has asked me to step in and lobby for him. I don’t know what to do. I want my brother to be able to pursue his dream, but I don’t want him to end up brain-dead or something. I never played football when I was a boy, so I’m not attached to it like he is. What should I do? -- Kick It, Silver Spring, Maryland
DEAR KICK IT: I wish I could be more optimistic. Obviously, football is an American pastime that has been played by thousands of children and adults for generations. Recent research, however, suggests that brain injury is common in football players due to the constant contact that includes head trauma.
I am not here to suggest that your brother stop playing. My recommendation is that your family do as much research as you can so that you can make an informed decision about your brother’s future. Your parents may want to get a medical opinion from a doctor who can speak about the long-term effects of playing football on a growing brain. Here’s an article to get you started: theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/10/football-kids-heads/504863/.
Ultimately, this is a personal decision that will be hard to make, no matter what you decide. As his big brother, you can be compassionate and be a great listener as you also express your honest concerns. Leave it to your parents to decide, though.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)