with helmet contact and committing major resources to develop a long term study on the issue. >> nobody likes to see an athlete's career end because of a con sugs cushion. it happened to steve young. there was a burial helmet hit. that hit was recorded by a special mount guard like this. the zeatd being included in research conducted by 49er medical director dan garza and research assistant at stanford university. they showed me some head impact research from a different player during a game. they are pointing not necessarily where they are hit but where the acceleration. is pl n.f.l. is planning a ten-year study on the consequences of repeated head injuries. we want to have a way to

understand how to measure the impacts that occur, not just from the concussions that you see happening, but from what we call the sub concussive events. >> cheryl: the doctor is chair of neurology department at ucsf and advisory committee to the n.f.l.. he is working with john york co-owner of the 49ers who was on the safety committee. they the tell me the n.f.l. is getting closer to find the best way to gather research on impacts to the brain, mouth guard sensors like this or helmets with sensors. >> i think we mayve the ability to put those into helmets or into mouth guards at the beginning of next season. >> it's such a weird injury. you are not sure. i think i'm okay. the brain sits in a pool of fluid. so if you move the cranium

quickly the brain is going rotate and move as well. >> cheryl: the doctor says using mouth guards it could apply to a lot of sports. >> there is soccer, lacrosse and field hockey and women sports. >> cheryl: it's such a big issue. joining us is sports anchor is mike shumann. >> i have former oakland raider safety and he has been through this. let's start out how many concussions did you have while you played? >> more than i can count. that is part of the game. any kind of blind spotted or tingle is officially a concussion. >> you didn't think it was a concussion unless you got knocked out. everybody thought the same thing? >> i felt like that until two years ago. i thought -- i've been knocked out twice.

that is like the worst concussion you can get. if you are getting hit in the head and seeing stars or colors, that is concussion. >> cheryl: how does it affect you right now? >> lord, that is why i retired. i've been working with the n.f.l. through different programs through a transitional program we've got going tha for pays for everything. treatment doesn't show up on the insurance but it's very expensive. it takes a lot of time. you have to dedicate yourself to. i lost a lot of weight when i first went through it. it was bad. i had to move my mom from east coast to west coast because i was in and out of the hospital because i couldn't eat. longest migraine i had was 31 days. i was in the hospital twice during that period of time. i had no idea what was going on,

no clue. then i don't know what is going on. i need help. the next day they had me at ucsf and i something called d.a. d.a. t. treatment. >> migraines ended your career prematurely. you have all the post concussive syndromes, memory loss. >> we haven't even got to that. >> you said you stayed to bed five days a time. junior seau, he kills himself. were you ever at that point, suicidal thoughts are part of this? >> i'm on the good side now. i can sit and tell you, yes. it's very taxing. i went from being this elite athlete being in bed not being able to feed myself. the concussion is every day.

it's kind, how am i going to feel today. it got to the point, i can't live like this. i don't my family or friends. it was not the life i wanted to be. that is something, i need some help. >> cheryl: do you talk to them? >> yes. >> all the time. like i say i'm in a good spot. i talk to the guys, i send text messages. it's a huge amount of people in the n.f.l. you know there is a small group of people and get your medical records and go to the doctor. you have to. i've been there. some guys, for me sometimes happens later in life. for me it happened right when i retired that cause need to retire. i know couple guys they are

getting the migraines, depressed not going to work, i'm telling you this is what is happening. that is why i can tell you, it wasn't good. i feel blessed i can help these guys. i want to help them because there is help to be had. that is what i did not know. i probably should have gotten help year, two years earlier. >> before we let you go, they the are trying to make the game safer. you couldn't play today but with the shoulders and trying to make the game safer which is a good start. >> yeah. i could not play football today. all the new rules eliminate cooper from playing. they used to pay me to head hunt you got the ball and i'm going to do whatever it takes to put out ground but i played to hit i

as hard as i could. >> we appreciate you coming in and sharing your story. hopefully, any other n.f.l. players can get in touch with you and you'll have on website at abc7news.com. >> cheryl: thanks for being here. we do have to take a short break. mike and i will be back with a very young pitcher who was hospitalized with a line drive hit him in the forehe

>> cheryl: welcome back. we're talking about sports head injuries. in 2012, petaluma national little league pitcher learned firsthand how serious these accidents can be. wayne freedman filed this story last may. >> it's not easy to have a child in intensive care unit of a hospital, but they are grateful when good news comes in small increments. until last week his son brendan was a boy pitching in the petaluma national little league. a line drive changed that. >> threw a pitch and line back right at him. he did not have time to react. >> he underwent six hours of surgery to repair damage to his face and sinus cavities. >> oh, into the air and he is down on the ground. >> come backers have been a part

of baseball but aluminum have a larger sweet spot increasing the odds of doing damage. one almost died in a hit in a practice game. his team and then his league adopted traditional wooden bats for the rest of that season. it becomes a discussion every baseball season, they talk about the distance between the mound and plate or making pitchers wear face guards or helmets. >> personally if i had to choose between helmet or wooden bat i would choose wooden bats for sure. >> all concerned describe the incident at one in a million shot. it's just baseball. maybe matter of fact attitude comes from a job. he is a lieutenant in the san francisco fire department.

>> no matter if we change the bats from metal to wooden or make the field bigger or we make the children wear safety equipment, someone is still going to get hurt. then who are we going to blame? there is no one to blame and injuries are going to happen no matter what. >> cheryl: sports anchor mike shumann is here with brendan o'neill and his father. it's great to have you both here. you are 13 now. what do you remember about the hit? >> i remember all of it. >> cheryl: tell us about it? >> i pitched the ball and hit back and hit me in the head. i fell. i was on the ground and it really hurt. i remember everyone was talking and trying to figure out what to do. >> parents' worst nightmare.

what was the diagnosis? >> they told me that brendan had a brain bleed, inaugurated skull inaugurated nose. multiple facial fractures. fractured sinuses. that is enough. >> cheryl: you look fantastic. doesn't look like anything an see a i can see a little scar around your head but we have pictures the injuries to you. >> reconstructive surgery. they had to taik fill it out. >> what are the long term effects? >> he hasn't had any. they told us that he could have some of the effects of severe concussion which would be headaches and sensitivity to light and those types of things. it hasn't happened yet. they were also concerned about

him not being able to taste or smell, but we've been lucky. it hasn't showed up yet. >> are you still playing sports? >> i'm playing basketball. >> we talked about wooden bats. it could come straight back. i think everybody should wear face masks. what is your feeling about that. it looks dorky and not masculine would you agree? >> it should be your choice. if you want to you can. i'm sure it will help. >> if you were to continue to play baseball would you wear it? >> probably not. >> cheryl: even despite what happened to you? >> it would affect me when i'm pitching. >> did you have to switch sports or was that your choice. >> he never loved or passionate about baseball. he a pure basketball player. he did have to wear a mask when

he started playing basketball which he hated. it's a hindrance. they have to learn to play with mask on his face but if he were to play baseball again, i would leave that up to him. i would hope he wouldn't pitch. >> cheryl: pll-stars all-stars got a big win? >> it was awesome. >> cheryl: somebody on that team you knew? >> i think i know the whole team. >> i think unfortunately what you went through is going to help a lot of people down the line. does that make you are contributing that way and helping out? >> yeah. >> it's great to have you here. >> thank you. >> it's something to talk about. good l good luck on your basketball career. >> cheryl: thank you for talking with us. all right. day with us, when we come back

we're going to meet a neuro psychologist with insight into head injuries. stay with us. mike and i will be right back.

>> cheryl: welcome back. we are talking about sports head injuries and the effects they have on athletes. we have a psychologist. thank you for being here today. you actuaad a head injure

yourself? >> fortunately i had a couple of injuries and they were very well spaced apart and i don't have any long term complications for it. one was in soccer and one occurred in baseball. >> shu: a lot of people come in with post concussion syndrome. what exactly is it? >> post concussion syndrome having more problems. it's an epidemic of concussion injuries. we don't exactly know the answer to that. one thing we do know that athletes today, they are bigger and stronger than they ever were. equipment hasn't necessarily kept up with the size of these athletes. so it is possible that these injuries are occurring at greater frequency because of the force of the hits are increasing. another side effect to that was all the media, there is increasing awareness about the injuries.

that can be good thing. more people are aware and therefore they are seeking treatment. >> cheryl: a lot of athletes don't want to be taken out of the game. so they may not indicate to a coach how seriously injured they are. >> shu: and smith took himself out and lost his job. >> most of doctors with athletes are working with these athletes and that is where the focus is. a lot of the focus needs to occur. one thing i try to i am part to athletes, i'm not trying to play the game longer than necessary and i'm trying to tend your career. when you go back to play your brain is healed. lowering the risk of long term complications associated with these injuries. unfortunately i had to retire 16-year-old athletes from sports. >> cheryl: you have an organization? >> we founded, co-founded with

dr. cindy chang and we founded the california concussion coalition. its special program. a nationally recognized nonprofit that emphasizes research in concussion. coalition emphasizes education. we want to work with all those involved in sports, coaches and administrators, parents and athletes about how to properly identify and respond to the injuries if they occur. how to manage and treat these injuries and when it is safe to return athletes to activities and play. we also work with medical providers and provide education and staff to the community. on february 9th we're doing an all day conference and first of this type in northern california. if you want more information on that, go to our website. >> shu: i think with the

traditional sports, skateboarding you have skateboarding and biking. what would be the signs, if a kid fell off a bike, what would be a sign of a concussion? >> it's not just a contact sport. the extreme sports, the biking, the skiing but also had a patient who is a roller that had a concussion. so with a parents need to be on the lookout for. if the young child they fell off their bike and having symptoms, feeling dazed, feeling out of it. blurred vision, double vision, headaches, you don't just have to lose consciousness. less than 10% you lose consciousness. it's a whole list of symptoms thateed to be aware of that can be an indication.

>> cheryl: thank you so much. we're going to put that information about your program on our website. we do have to take another break. we're going to talk to a former 49er about his experience with co

>> cheryl: welcome back. we're talking about sports head injuries and here in the studio with mike shumann and me and dan lynch so the advisory board of the california concussion coalition. >> shu: you have played with three teams in your career you didn't think you had a condition concussion but what was your symptoms? >> i didn't know what a concussion was until 2007, i read a book who was the founder of the sports les legacy institute. it brought me back to time with the 49ers and it's miserable and

hot out and not a lot of i did i didn't feel like getting out of bed one day. i didn't care my salary was on the line for not showing up to work. i ended up going and seeking help with a health professional outside of the team because i was embarrassed to go to a team doctor to let them know about the mental issue. >> shu: you had depression? >> i'm sure you know the n.f.l. locker room isn't a sensitive place to bring up mental issues. >> cheryl: that made a big difference to you? >> i didn't know what was going on. this was in the early 2000 and it wasn't until 2007 after reading the book put the pieces together and discovered what had happened. >> shu: you have to know when you have one and when to come back. that is what you are working

with in terms of educating people and players to that effect? >> right. i think for youth players, the message is getting out. you have doctors that know what they are doing in the n.f.l. and college level but at the youth level, athletes know what concussion is and parents. also know it's not up to a coach a teammate when to come back to play but it's a medical decision that has to be made by a qualified doctor. >> cheryl: then they go back in and it may or may not be right time. >> we're so far behind on the research. you look alex smith, if he had gone back in the game what would it mean to his health 20 years down the line. >> shu: i think mine showed up 20 years down the line but you and jared seemed to happen toward the end of the career. you are going to deal with this

for a longer time? >> it's hard to know whether players getting bigger and stronger and forces being greater or techniques have changed. it's something we don't know. >> cheryl: you have a big platform, what do you tell young people, what should they do, at which to start playing football and if they have a concussion? >> my mom would not let me play until i got to high school. robert cantu, he said that 14 years old is the age you should first start playing contact sports. >> shu: it makes sense. >> 18 years old to vote and 21 years to drink. should we start looking at beginning point for kids to play

contact sports because at six years old, eight years old, 13 years old, do they have the information they need to know how these sports can affect them. >> shu: at that level the contesting is not that great either. some father has taken over and that makes it tough, too. >> absolutely. >> cheryl: we want to thank you for being here. you are doing a great job helping other people. that is it. we could do a whole hour on this. my big thanks to mike being c being co-host of the show. we have more information at abc7news.com. we're also on facebook and twitter. i'm cheryl jennings along with mike shumann. have a great week. we'll see you next time. bye for now. alright let's break it down.

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