With the start of the high school fall sports season, coaches, parents, and players should take a few minutes to have a discussion about concussions.
Concussions are a form of brain injury. They are caused by a bump or blow to the head. As well they can be caused by a hit to the body that moves the head back and forth rapidly.
According to the Center for Disease Control approximately 1.7 million people receive traumatic brain injuries each year. About 52,000 die, 275,000 are hospitalized, and 1,365,000 make visits to emergency facilities. It is unknown how many people do not receive treatment for their injuries.
Symptoms of a concussion may show up immediately or hours or days after the injury. The following information is from a publication by the Center for Disease Control.
Parents, coaches, and teachers may observe the following symptoms:
- Appears dazed or stunned
- Is confused about events
- Answers questions slowly
- Repeats questions
- Can’t recall events prior to the hit, bump, or fall
- Can’t recall events after the hit, bump, or fall
- Loses consciousness (even briefly)
- Shows behavior or personality changes
- Forgets class schedule or assignments
The athlete may report the following symptoms:
Thinking/Remembering
• Difficulty thinking clearly
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering
• Feeling more slowed down
• Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy
Physical
• Headache or “pressure” in head
• Nausea or vomiting
• Balance problems or dizziness
• Fatigue or feeling tired
• Blurry or double vision
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Numbness or tingling
• Does not “feel right”
Emotional
• Irritable
• Sad
• More emotional than usual
• Nervous
Sleep
• Drowsy
• Sleeps less than usual
• Sleeps more than usual
• Has trouble falling asleep
What to do if a Concussion is Expected
Seek medical attention right away. If the potential concussion occurs during a game, the athlete should be removed immediately. Note: Concussions are not limited to boys and the sport of football.
Help them take time to get better. Be patient, a brain injury will take time to heal. As well, it will likely be necessary to limit physical activities and such things as reading or computer work.
Learn more about concussions. The source of this information is http://www.cdc.gov/Concussion/ and http://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/statistics.html.