It's hard to make the concussion statistics any scarier than they are. With hundreds of thousands of

sports-related concussions each year occurring in the U.S. and perhaps only 1 in 10 kids who get hurt

reporting the injury, there's no telling exactly what the scope of the damage is. We don't expect children

to be the best guardians of their own health, but we expect parents and coaches to watch out for them.

And yet it's those very adults who sometimes drop the ball when it comes to preventing and treating

concussions. So how can we protect and preserve the precious and sensitive brain function of the kids in

our care?

The first thing we need to do is become smarter. Many coaches, parents and kids are still not aware of

the risk of concussion in youth sports, though that's slowly changing. Understanding the danger also

means learning to recognize symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is trying

to raise awareness through a comprehensive education program called Heads Up: Concussion in Youth

Sports. Available on the CDC website, the program has been adopted by many experts in youth sports

and includes critical information about not just spotting concussions when they occur but preventing them

in the first place.

If I'm treating you and I suspect you have a concussion, the first question I'd ask is, "Do you remember

the injury?" If you answer no or are confused or move clumsily, you most likely have a concussion and

need to avoid for at least two weeks any activity that could lead to further injury. That may seem hard to

do, but what you get in return is a lifetime of memory and intact neurologic function. Of course, what I know as a physician isn't always the same as what I feel as a parent — and that's

something all parents may experience. When my 16-year-old daughter Zoe banged her head into

another girl while playing basketball, I wanted her to get back into the game even though she looked a bit

awkward after the collision. Her coach had more sense and sat her down. When a parent pressures a

child to get back in the saddle too soon, it can have catastrophic consequences, and the same can be

true of pressure from a coach with a championship game on the line and a star player who's taken a hit

and is looking wobbly. In these situations, concern must precede encouragement, and zeal has no place

in the parent's or coach's tool kit.

Head injuries don't happen only on the basketball court or the playing field. Everyone — adults and kids

alike — should wear helmets when they're skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding or bicycling. The home

can be a minefield as well, but there are some simple precautions we can all take. Fall-proof your home

to prevent slips by making sure living space is uncluttered, rugs and carpets don't slide, and spills are

cleaned up immediately. Be careful on the road too. Always wear your seat belt, since automobile

accidents are one of the more common causes of concussions — as any physician who has worked a

shift in the ER could tell you.

There are unexpected new ways to speed recovery from a concussion. A little-known New Zealand study

from 2006 showed that tai chi improved the overall mood in patients with traumatic brain injury in a

number of ways, including decreasing sadness (12%), confusion (12%), anger (8%), tension (15%) and

fear (10%) and increasing energy (14%) and happiness (7%).

The DHA omega-3 fatty acid, a building block of brain tissue, is showing promise in preventing and

treating the effects of concussions. In fact, some college athletic associations, like the University of

Georgia's, have already introduced the use of algal DHA as part of their postconcussion protocol for all

athletes. Unfortunately, while optimal levels of DHA consumption are 100 to 160 mg per day, the average

among kids in the U.S. is just 30 to 50 mg. Adults are not doing much better.

Parents should ensure that their children reach their daily DHA goal, either through diet — fish is the

main source — or supplements. We are the watchdogs of our kids' minds and health for just 18 years

before we send them out into the world. We owe it to them to give them the best possible chance to be

happy and thrive there.

Mehmet Oz is vice chairman and professor of surgery at Columbia University, a best-selling author and

the host of the nationally syndicated television talk show The Dr. Oz Show