What Parents Need to Know About Head Injuries in Youth Sports (with Dr. Christopher Nowinski)

Feb 18, 2026

56:53

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Youth sports head injuries explained for parents who want to stay informed without being afraid.

In this episode of Healthy Sports Parents, Jonathan sits down with Dr. Christopher Nowinski, co-founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation and one of the leading voices on concussions and CTE, for a calm, honest, and practical conversation about brain health in youth sports.

Together, they unpack what we’ve learned about head injuries since we were kids and how that information should shape the way we guide our own children through sports today. This is not a conversation meant to scare parents away from sports. It’s about helping parents understand risk, recognize warning signs, and make age-appropriate decisions with clarity and confidence.

You’ll hear:

How to think about concussions without panicking
Why kids often can’t recognize or report their own symptoms
The difference between concussions and cumulative head impacts
What parents should actually watch for after a hit or fall
How sports like football, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, and baseball have changed and why
Why age-appropriate versions of sports matter for developing brains

This episode is for parents who care deeply about their kids, believe sports can be a powerful good, and want to lead with better information than the generation before us had.

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