Heads Up: Protecting Your Young Athlete From a Concussion

The word concussion can strike fear in the hearts of parents, especially those with children who participate in youth contact sports. Head injuries are most associated with football, but concussions can and do occur in sports ranging from soccer to wrestling to cheerleading.

While contact sports come to mind most often, nearly all sports and physical activity come with some risk for concussion. In fact, in women's college sports, cheerleading has the highest rate of concussions.

At the same time, the risk of concussions needs to be balanced against the benefits of getting moving. While these risks should be recognized and not taken lightly, our experts encourage physical activity at all ages.

What Is a Concussion?

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) that occurs when the brain bounces within the skull. It can happen when two players collide on the field, when a child stumbles and hits his head on the ground, or during a bicycle or car accident, to name a few potential causes.

It's important to remember concussions are not limited to the football field.

Our pediatricians see concussions from falls and head impacts on and off the field, including physical education class and recess at school. And though concussion changes how the brain functions, it doesn't necessarily change its structure, meaning that a brain can look normal after a concussion.

The Impact of a Concussion

The brain performs billions of chemical reactions during normal life to help us think, feel and accomplish daily tasks. Concussions interrupt the brain's ability to do these jobs well.

Beyond concussion, mouth, eye and other facial injuries are also an unhappy possibility in youth contact sports. Protective gear such as goggles, facemasks and mouthguards can go a long way in keeping your child's face injury-free.

Concussion Prevention

Bike helmets are among the most important safety equipment, as they can prevent or lessen the severity of brain injuries, cuts and scrapes. Because kids grow so fast, this equipment should be checked to ensure it fits properly.

Finally, remember that your seatbelt is one of the most basic safety equipment.

Though all sports and physical activities come with some risk of injury, that doesn't mean they should be avoided altogether. With the combined efforts of coaches, parents, players and sports medicine staff, young athletes can enjoy youth sports' many physical and emotional benefits while minimizing the risk of injury or long-term complications.

Most children should aim for an hour of physical activity daily, whether at school, sports or at home.

The health, social and emotional benefits of being active are tremendous. The goal is for children to gain health benefits from the activity and stay protected from injury.

Safety in organized sports has become a point of emphasis and everyone should strive to continue working with local leagues, coaches and parents to ensure games and practices are conducted in the safest and most fun way possible!

Signs and Symptoms of Youth Concussion

When a concussion is sustained, a range of symptoms may be noticed. What a supervising adult observes can differ from what the child or teen suffering from a concussion reports. Here are some of the signs to watch for:

Commonly Observed by Parents or Coaches:

• Appearing dazed or stunned
• Confusion about an instruction, assignment, score or opponent
• Clumsy movement
• Delayed response time
• Loss of consciousness (even briefly)
• Mood, behavior or personality changes
• Problems with memory (for example, can't recall events surrounding the injury)

Reported by Children and Teens:

• Headache or pressure in the head
• Nausea or vomiting
• Ringing sound in ears
• Dizziness or balance problems
• Double or blurred vision
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Feeling sluggish or groggy
• Sleeping more or less than usual
• Confusion or trouble concentration
• Memory problems
• Feeling "off" or down

You might be unable to tell that a concussion occurred from the outside, so thorough examination and monitoring are crucial, especially within the first 24 hours. If a concussion is suspected, seek immediate medical attention. Even seemingly minor bumps to the head can lead to complications and long-term damage.

Detection of concussion is critical; it's not enough for a child to return to normal activity just because they feel good that day. How we feel and how our brains function are not necessarily the same. In fact, there's often a lag time of one to two days (maybe more for younger kids) between when people feel better and when their brains are performing at a normal level.

Objective brain function tests, balance and symptoms should be considered when choosing the right time to return to activity safely. Therapies and medications can also be used in certain circumstances when needed.

After all, going back too early can slow healing and risk worse injury.

Staying Safe On and Off the Field

If your child participates in youth sports, don't stress - encourage safety. Some of the ways you can prevent and detect a concussion are:

• Educate kids on the signs of concussion
• Encourage young athletes to play safe
• Follow your doctor's orders
• Helmets
• Limit contact during practice
• Increase supervision
• Mouth guards
• Play on soft surfaces
• Pre-participation testing for youth sports

Are you concerned about concussions and facial injuries? Learn more and connect with one of our expert providers here. You deserve to feel whole.

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