What to Do If Your Child Has a Concussion

There is a reason why parents insist that children wear helmets when riding bicycles or scooters, and why many have become more hesitant before signing them up to play Pee Wee. We have learned a lot about concussions in recent years, and as parents, we would very much prefer our children not get head injuries.

However, concussions cannot always be avoided, especially in sports situations and even if they wear a helmet during high-risk activities. This is why it is important to have a basic understanding of concussion symptoms and a treatment plan if your child ever finds himself on the sidelines.

First of all, what is a concussion?

To keep us all on the same page, it’s helpful to start with a basic definition of concussion provided to us by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention :

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by blows, blows, or shocks to the head or blows to the body that cause the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce or twist in the skull, causing chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells.

Healthcare professionals may describe a concussion as a “mild” brain injury, since a concussion is usually not life-threatening. Even so, the consequences of a concussion can be serious.

In this video, pediatrician and researcher Dr. Julie Gilchrist describes the concussion as “a change in brain function, so it is not structural damage; this is a functional injury “:

It is also important to note that a concussion can – and most often does – occur even if the injured person does not pass out.

Symptoms to watch out for

Children and adolescents are more likely to get concussions from sports (especially soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and field hockey, according to the Nemours Foundation ). But they can also arise from a car or bicycle accident, fight or fall.

Symptoms may appear immediately, or they may develop hours or even days after the injury. Dr. Sherilyn W. Driscoll writes for the Mayo Clinic that symptoms may include:

• Headache or pressure sensation in the head
• Nausea or vomiting
• Balance problems or dizziness
• Double or blurry vision
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Feeling lethargic, sleepy, or numb
• Attention difficulties
• Memory problems
• Confusion of consciousness
• Slowness in understanding and reacting to others
• Sleep problems
• Change in mood
• Behavioral changes
• Personality changes

When do you see your doctor?

If a child is injured while playing sports, a coach or coach can do some simple offside tests to test their attention, memory and thinking speed before allowing them to return to play. If there are any signs of injury, they will need to see a doctor before resuming play.

But in general, when it comes to possible concussions, it is always better to play it safe and consult a pediatrician or neurologist. As Amy Pathurel writes for the American Academy of Neurology :

The key to determining whether the brain changes after a concussion will affect life or whether they will simply freeze consciousness temporarily is to ensure that every child who receives a shock – regardless of whether they are knocked out – receives a comprehensive neurological assessment, including an assessment of cognitive functions and balance. and coordination, physical examination, and complete medical history, including family history of neurological conditions such as migraines. Unfortunately, in the vast majority of concussion cases, this doesn’t happen, ”says Dr. [Jeffrey] Kutcher.

Even after evaluating a concussion, it is not always easy to assess the consequences of an injury. A concussion does not cause bleeding or bruising, and diagnostic imaging techniques, such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, almost always return to normal.

Children with concussions recover at different rates, but treatment is likely to include rest from physical and cognitive activities. Anything that requires too much physical activity or concentration can aggravate symptoms, especially early on. As the symptoms subside, they will be able to gradually add these activities back, but if, as they return to them, the symptom such as headache reappears, they should take a break.

They will most likely need a couple of days off at school, but once they return (virtually or in person), work with your teacher or school administration to ease the workload when they return.

Rely on their doctor’s advice as to whether they can drive and when it is safe to return to any physical activity that could lead to new head injury – if they return before they are fully recovered, they will be at a higher risk of another injury … , a potentially more dangerous concussion.