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SALT LAKE CITY -- A growing number of teen athletes are showing up in the emergency room with concussions, and doctors say it's not a good idea for parents to let them get back into the game right away.
A study published in the journal Pediatrics Monday shows visits to the ER by teen athletes have tripled in recent years.
Doctors say the teenage brain is still developing, so a slight brain injury like a concussion can have a lasting impact.
"It's actually a change in the way the brain works. It can be a chemical change, it can be a cellular change, but it's actually a change in the way the brain transmits messages," explains Dr. Charles Pruitt, pediatric emergency physician at Primary Children's Medical Center.
Pruitt also says concussions don't show up on MRIs or other brain scans, which is why it's important to watch for symptoms like dizziness or vomiting and see a doctor right away.
If your child does get a concussion, Pruitt says the best treatment is to rest his or her brain like you would a sprained ankle.
Meanwhile, experts say increasing awareness of head injuries is one reason ER concussion reports are up, but the increasing intensity of kids' sports probably plays a role too.
The study's findings resulted from the analysis of 10 years worth of national data.
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Story compiled with contributions from Nkoyo Iyamba and The Associated Press.
