What is a concussion?
What is a concussion?
The brain is made up of soft tissue and is cushioned by blood and spinal fluid. When someone takes a blow to the head or hits something very hard, the brain suddenly shifts inside the skull. This causes the brain to knock against the skull’s bony surface.
1) A concussion is a temporary change in the way the brain works when it is suddenly moved or jarred.
2) A concussion may last a few moments or a person may be knocked unconscious for a couple of minutes or longer.
3) Every year more than 400,000 children are sent to the ER with serious brain injuries.
(Car crash, playground accidents or sport related accidents)
What are the symptoms of a concussion?
Symptoms may be subtle and may not appear immediately. Symptoms can last for days, weeks or months. Two most common ones are forgetfulness and confusion. Other immediate signs and symptoms are: headache, dizziness, ringing in ears, nausea, vomiting, slurred speech, visual changes, feeling sluggish. Some symptoms do not appear until hours or days later: mood or cognitive disturbances, sensitivity to light and noise, sleep disturbances.
What should be done when concussion is suspected?
Anyone suspected of having a head injury should seek medical attention. The doctor will check reflexes, pupils and balance. A CAT scan may check for bleeding and fractures. In the case of a concussion, the brain needs time to heal. While your brain is healing, you are much more likely to have a second concussion and should not return to sports/activities until cleared by a physician. Remember to inform all coaches that your child has sustained a concussion.
How can a concussion be prevented?
Always use proper sports equipment, including personal equipment (helmet and mouth guard), when playing sports, bike riding, horseback riding, skateboarding, and skiing.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/tbi/TBI.htm
http://www.sportsconcussion.net
- Heather Makris, BSN RN NCSN