Concussions (for Parents) | Nemours KidsHealth

What Is a Concussion?

A concussion is a mind harm that impacts the best way the mind works and may result in signs akin to headache, dizziness, and confusion. Signs normally go away inside a couple of days to a month with relaxation and a gradual return to highschool and common actions. Typically, the signs last more.

What Are the Indicators & Signs of a Concussion?

Signs of a concussion may occur proper after the head injury or develop over hours to days. They will embody:

• headache
• confusion
• dizziness
• imaginative and prescient modifications
• nausea and/or vomiting
• bother strolling and speaking
• not remembering the harm
• not remembering earlier than or after the harm
• feeling sluggish

Somebody with a concussion additionally may need focus or studying issues, sleep issues, nervousness, or disappointment.

Concussions can observe being knocked out (dropping consciousness) from a head harm, however they will occur and not using a particular person being knocked out.

What Occurs in a Concussion?

A concussion occurs when the mind is injured. This could occur when the pinnacle is hit — for instance, from a fall. However concussions can also occur and not using a blow to the pinnacle — for instance, in a automobile accident when the pinnacle snaps forcefully ahead and again. The sturdy motion causes chemical and blood movement modifications within the mind. These modifications result in concussion signs.

How Do Youngsters and Teenagers Get Concussions?

Most concussions in children and teenagers occur whereas enjoying sports activities. The danger is highest for cheerleaders and youngsters who play soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and area hockey. 

Youngsters can also get a concussion from a automobile or bike accident, fall, battle, or something that results in a head harm.

How Are Concussions Identified?

A toddler who has a head harm must be checked by a well being care supplier (akin to a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant). To diagnose a concussion, the well being care supplier will:

• ask about how and when the pinnacle harm occurred
• ask about signs
• check reminiscence and focus
• do an examination and check stability, coordination, and reflexes

Concussions don’t present up on a CAT scan or MRI. These exams is perhaps performed to search for different issues if somebody:

• was knocked out
• retains vomiting
• has a extreme headache or a headache that will get worse
• was injured in a critical accident, akin to from a automobile crash or very excessive fall

How Are Concussions Handled?

Therapeutic from a light concussion includes a gradual return to actions that finds a stability between doing an excessive amount of and too little.

For the primary day or two, your baby ought to reduce on bodily actions and those who take a whole lot of focus (akin to schoolwork). Have them loosen up at residence. They will sleep in the event that they really feel drained. Calm actions akin to speaking to household and mates, studying, drawing, coloring, or enjoying a quiet recreation are OK. They need to keep away from all display time (together with TVs, computer systems, and smartphones) for the primary 2 days after the concussion.

Normally inside a day or so, they will begin including extra actions, akin to going for a stroll. They need to proceed to keep away from sports activities and any exercise that would result in one other concussion. Signs do not must be fully gone on your baby so as to add actions. But when signs worsen with an exercise, they should take a break from it. They will attempt it once more later that day or the following day, or attempt a much less intense model of it.

Preserve your baby out of all sports activities and any actions that would result in head harm (like tough play, or using a motorbike or skateboard) till their signs are fully gone and so they’re cleared by a well being care supplier. It’s vital to forestall one other concussion as a result of repeated concussions can have long-lasting, critical results on the mind.

After a couple of days, your baby ought to really feel effectively sufficient to return to school. Work together with your well being care supplier and a faculty staff to create a plan for returning to highschool. Your baby might have to begin with a shorter day or a lighter workload.

Do not let your teen drive till your well being care supplier says it’s OK.

Different issues that may assist:

• When your baby goes again to doing display time, assist them restrict how a lot time they spend on it. Video video games, , texting, watching TV, and utilizing social media are prone to trigger signs or make them worse.
• Be certain that your baby will get loads of sleep. They need to:
  • Preserve common sleep and wake instances.
  • Keep away from display time or listening to loud music earlier than mattress.
  • Keep away from caffeine.
• For the primary few days after the harm, in case your baby has a headache, they will take acetaminophen (Tylenol or a retailer model) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, or a retailer model). Observe the instructions on the label for a way a lot to offer and the way typically.

When Ought to I Name the Physician?

Name your well being care supplier in case your baby:

• just isn’t again in class by 5 days after the concussion
• is not doing their regular stage of schoolwork after being again to highschool for two weeks
• nonetheless wants medication for headache every week or extra after the harm
• has signs (akin to headache, vomiting, confusion, or dizziness) that aren’t getting higher or worsen
• nonetheless has signs 4 weeks after the concussion
• passes out

Go to the ER or name 911 in case your baby can’t be woken up or has a seizure.