Concussions: Is your child an at-risk athlete?
If your child shows symptoms of a concussion after a “hit” or collision while playing a sport, they should be seen by a doctor.
While being active is essential for the health and wellbeing of children, parents and coaches must ensure all children are safe while playing sports to prevent head injuries.
Children who participate in sports frequently sustain concussions. Many of these children continue to play and sustain concussions regularly.
“While concussions are a well-known sports injury, they are more prevalent – and subtle – than people realise,” explains Laurence Kleiner, MD, a paediatric neurosurgeon.
Concussions are prevalent among athletics – at least 10% of athletes experience a concussion each season, which may treble for football players. Athletes that participate in contact sports such as football, hockey, rugby, and soccer are at the greatest risk. Along with participating in sports, energetic youngsters are in danger of concussions while participating in recreational activities such as skateboarding, Motorcross, and skating.
The dangers of concussions
Although concussions are commonly regarded as mild brain injuries, current scientific research has proven that even slight concussions can negatively affect an athlete’s focus, memory, reaction time, and emotions. Post-concussive Syndrome has been well-documented as a debilitating disorder that can affect children, adolescents, and young adults who repeatedly experienced head trauma while participating in sports.
What are the signs and symptoms of concussions?
It is critical to recognise concussion symptoms to prevent youngsters from returning to play too soon. Some of the more prevalent symptoms of concussion include the following:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Memory problems
- Slowed cognition
- Tiredness
- Alterations in sleep
- Dizziness
- Ear ringing
- Intolerance of light or sound
- Mood swings
- Blurred vision
These concussion symptoms may manifest immediately, shortly after the damage, or repeatedly during periods of exertion until the brain has recovered. Consult your child’s physician if you detect any of these concussion symptoms following a head injury, regardless of whether your child lost consciousness.
Ensure your child recovers before returning to the sports field
Never return an athlete to play until all concussion symptoms have resolved. If your child is an athlete, consult with their doctor, coach, or trainer to establish when it is safe for them to resume play. This requires using a “step-by-step” strategy and closely monitoring for the recurrence of concussion symptoms. Resuming play too soon following a concussion can result in catastrophic brain injury.
Safety gear
While you can’t prevent every concussion, ensuring that your child wears a helmet, mouthguard, and other safety gear (depending on the sport your child engages in) can reduce the risk of a brain injury.
