Parents across the country are taking notice. In the last decade alone, the exorbitant amount of coverage and publicity surrounding concussions has led many to question whether it is safe for children to participate in contact sports. However, it is helpful that more attention is paid to this topic as more research is underway to improve the safety of all participants. Kids should not be prevented from participating in contact sports because of the life lessons that can be gained and the higher priority that has been given to medical care, prevention and general awareness. However, it is vital that adequate guidance is available after you suffer your first concussion so that the appropriate decision can be made about whether to return to sport. The benefits of participating in sports are too great to prohibit a child from playing based on the risk of suffering a concussion. According to Dr. William Meehan, director of the Sports Concussion Clinic at Massachusetts Children's Hospital, "The risk of suffering a sports-related concussion, however, is outweighed by the tremendous benefits that athletes derive from participating in sports" (37) . There is risk in everything, so the fact that there are benefits attributed to playing sports should make playing a no-brainer. These skills can be translated to help them succeed in the future: “Through sports, children learn competition, fair play, problem solving and social interaction. Football potentially brings together all of these desirable behaviors and skills” (McClemont). These skills are pertinent to being successful at whatever juncture you encounter, so what better to… middle of the paper… about any sign of injury that may have occurred. If this criterion is met, there is nothing stopping a child from playing a game that can help them much more than scoring a touchdown. The preparation and discipline developed can last a lifetime. Children should not be excluded from participating in contact sports. Works Cited Culverhouse, Gay. Disposable players. Lake Forest: Behler Publications, LLC, 2012. Print.McClemont, Jon and Joan Baker. “Would you encourage your child to play youth soccer?” American teacher May/June 2013: 3. Sirs Issues Researcher. Network. May 21, 2014. Meehan, William P. Children, Sports, and Concussion. Santa Barbara: Praeger, 2011. Print.Parks, Peggy J. Concussions. San Diego: Reference Point Press, Inc., 2014, Print.Taeshis, Lauren. “The Concussion Crisis.” School choices. October 1, 2012: 4. eLibrary. Network. May 20 2014.