Concussions

A concussion is a brain injury.  Concussions are caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or can be from a body blow that snaps the head.  The brain is compressed or shaken inside the skull.  Concussions can range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain normally works.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 20% of the head injuries that occur are sports related.  An even more sobering statistic is that 20% of all high school football players and 40% of all college football players will suffer a head injury at some point in their career. The sport with the second highest rate is girls soccer, (36 per 1000 player games or practices). Female athletes are nearly twice as likely as males to have problems with thought or memory.  They're also more prone to depression and more likely to have symptoms both one month and one year later. 

Concussions represent a diffuse injury to the brain. Suffering a concussion makes a person far more prone to another one.  The optimal treatment is to prevent the injury in the first place.  Using seat belts and wearing proper equipment while playing sports, can help avoid a concussion.

The good news is the brain can repair itself.  A concussion shakes up the signal pathways of the brain, so it may take a period of days or weeks for everything to return to normal.  Symptoms that should raise red flags are persistent headache, nausea, vomiting or the sudden onset of weakness, seizure or abnormal pupil size.

Most children make a good recovery and return to normal function.

The American Academy of Pediatrics divides concussions into 3 categories:

1.  MILD:  confused, but not knocked out. 

2.  MODERATE:  confused, with memory loss. 

3.  SEVERE:  knocked out. 

~American Academy of Pediatrics

In addition, the CDC has offered the following information regarding concussions:

Signs and Symptoms

Observed by Parents or Coaches

• Appears dazed or stunned.
• Is confused about assignment or position
• Forgets sports plays
• Is unsure of game, score or opponent
• Moves clumsily
• Answers questions slowly, abnormal speech
• Loses consciousness (even briefly)
• Shows behavior or personality changes
• Can't recall events prior to the hit or fall
• Can't recall events after the hit or fall

Symptoms reported by the Athlete

• Headache or "pressure" in the head
• Nausea or vomiting (more than two times)
• Balance problems or dizziness, clumsiness
• Double or blurry vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to noise
• Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy or groggy
• Concentration or memory problems
• Confusion
• Does not "feel right"

What you should do if you think your child has a concussion:

1.  Seek medical attention right away.  A health care professional will be able to decide how serious the concussion is and when it is safe for your child to return to play.

2.  Keep your child out of play.  The brain needs time to heal.  Don't let your child return to play until a health care professional says it's OK.  Children who return to play too soon - while the brain is still healing - risk a greater chance of having a second concussion.  Second or later concussions can be very serious.  They can cause permanent brain damage, affecting your child for a lifetime.

3.  Tell your child's coach about any recent concussion.  Coaches should know if your child had a recent concussion.  Your child's coach may not know about about a concussion your child received in another sport or activity unless you tell the coach.  A repeat concussion that occurs before the brain recovers from the first—usually within a short period of time (hours, days, or weeks)—can slow recovery or increase the likelihood of having long-term problems. In rare cases, repeat concussions can result in edema (brain swelling), permanent brain damage, and even death.

For more information visit:  www.cdc.gov/ConcussioninYouthSports