9 Things Every Parent Should Know About Childhood Concussions

You try to shield your child from accidents, but kids have a way of injuring themselves as they begin to explore the world around them. If your child sustains a head injury, you should always have it checked out by a medical professional. Your child may not complain right away after a head injury, but concussion symptoms don’t always present immediately after an accident. 

At Memorial Springs ER, our board-certified internal and emergency medicine physicians are trained to diagnose and treat concussions. Following are nine facts every parent should know about concussions in children. 

1. Concussions can occur without direct impact to the head

You may have seen news stories about shaken baby syndrome, which occurs when a baby is shaken vigorously. The brain moves suddenly, hitting against the inside of the hard walls of the skull. This type of child abuse can result not only in a concussion but also cause permanent brain damage or death.  

2. Concussions can occur even if you don’t lose consciousness 

You don’t need to suffer a knockout blow to sustain a concussion. You may still be conscious and have a brain injury. 

3. Symptoms may not show up immediately

Your child may not show symptoms of a concussion immediately after falling or having an accident. Sometimes, symptoms show up a few hours after the injury or may develop a few days later. You must watch your child closely for symptoms for several days after a potentially concussive event.

4. You should know the common symptoms of a concussion 

A headache that occurs hours or days after an incident is a common sign, but there are others. Your child may sometimes feel lightheaded, have poor balance, have trouble thinking and concentrating, be sensitive to bright lights, have a change in mood or behavior, and/or have vision problems. 

5. Concussion recovery ranges significantly in length

Your child could recover from a concussion within a couple of weeks. However, recovery can take several months, and some children sustain long-term symptoms. 

6. A return-to-play protocol should be implemented if your child is involved in sports 

At Memorial Springs ER, we only issue a return to play if your child is completely free of concussion symptoms. Returning to a sport too early can result in second impact syndrome (SIS). SIS occurs when your child has a second brain injury, and the first is not completely healed.

7. Girls are more vulnerable to concussions

Nerve fibers in the brain are thinner in females and more likely to break. This gender difference makes girls more vulnerable to concussions than boys. Girls usually take longer to heal from concussions. 

8. The risk of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) develops from repeated trauma to the brain. Researchers have discovered this injury in professional football players. It can cause cognitive decline and emotional and behavioral dysfunction. If your child sustains a concussion playing football and continues to play, they have a 30% risk for CTE for each succeeding year they play.

9. Early diagnosis and treatment of a concussion is critical 

Any time your child experiences a head injury, it’s important to seek specialized attention to determine if your child has a brain injury. When a concussion isn’t diagnosed and treated, your child’s brain may not heal properly or completely. 

We have the tools and expertise necessary to diagnose a concussion correctly. If your child has a concussion, we develop a treatment plan to help them heal and discuss preventive measures you and your child can take in the future.

If your child has had an accident, bring your child to Memorial Springs ER right away. Call Memorial Springs ER or book an appointment online for urgent and emergency care needs for your family.