Concussion controversy: Traumatic brain injury gets more attention after NFL player incident

Former NFL safety Jack Brewer explains why seeing Miami Dolphins' quarterback Tua Tagovailoa get concussed was so frightening on 'The Story with Martha MacCallum.'

Did you know that a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury?

After Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was transported to the hospital on Sept. 29 after his head slammed into the ground during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals — the second blow to his head in a span of four days — the evaluation and management of head injuries ignited a national conversation about how best to manage concussions, according to multiple reports. 

Approximately 7% of children have had symptoms of concussion or a brain injury in their lifetime.

TUA TAGOVAILOA CLEARS CONCUSSION PROTOCOL, EYES POTENTIAL WEEK 7 RETURN

Yet the risk increases with age — from 2% in those five years and younger to an estimated 12% in children aged 12–17, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. 

An estimated 29% of adults self-reported experiencing a concussion in their lifetime, according to a recent research study. 

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins warms up prior to the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on September 29, 2022, in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Here's a deeper dive into the issue.

"A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury (or mild TBI)," said Dr. Mitul Kapadia, medical director of pediatric rehabilitation and co-director of the sports concussion program at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, San Francisco. 

"It happens when a blow to the head or an injury makes the head move back and forth with a lot of force," he said.

"Patients who have experienced a concussion show a complex range of neuronal