In the past 10 years, concussion rates for US high school athletes have doubled, according to the Center for Disease Control. If and when a young athlete experiences a concussion, his or her will need time to heal; devastating injuries can occur if the athlete continues to play.
What are the Symptoms?
Symptoms of a concussion usually appear after the injury happens, but sometimes they may take a few hours before the symptoms present themselves.
Some symptoms are:
Headache or pressure in head
Nausea or vomiting
Balance problems or dizziness
Confusion or concentration issues
An inability to recall events before/after the hit or fall
Slurred speech or delayed response to questions
Loss of consciousness
Fatigue
Change in behavior or personality.
What You Should Do If You Suspect a Concussion.
If an athlete has hit his or her head, please follow these four steps.
- Take the athlete out of the game. The sooner you get the athlete out of the game, the sooner the athlete can get back to a healthy state. Check for the signs and symptoms of a concussion. When in doubt, you should sit them out.
- Have the athlete get evaluated by a health care professional. Do not judge the severity of the injury yourself. Take notes of what caused the injury, if there was loss of consciousness and for how long, if there was memory loss or seizures, and if there are any known previous concussions. This type of information can help medical professionals.
- Inform the athlete’s parents. Let the parents know that you suspect a possible concussion. Give them a fact sheet with information on the symptoms and how long to monitor their child.
- Keep the athlete out of the game. Even if the athlete is a key member of the team, it is important that he or she is removed from play until a health care professional approves his or her return.
Keeping children and teens healthy and safe is always a top priority. Whether you are a parent, youth sports coach, high school coach, school professional or a health care provider, these tips will help you recognize and respond to the risk of a concussion or other serious brain injury.
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