Understanding concussion: what parents and young athletes need to know
November 17, 2025
As young hockey players lace up for another season on the ice, Dr. Shelina Babul, Clinical Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Director of the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit, has some words of advice: wear your helmets and mouthguards—and don’t take your brain for granted.
A seasoned hockey mom herself and creator of the freely available Concussion Awareness Training Tool, Dr. Babul says it’s important for athletes, coaches and parents alike to get familiar with the latest evidence-based protocols for preventing, recognizing and managing this common brain injury.
“Your brain is a fragile organ, and it’s encased in a skull that’s only the thickness of three pennies,” she says. “You want to take care of it. It’s the only organ you can’t transplant.”
- Research
- Media release
