(This article by Venkata Konanki, Pediatrician at Keystone Pediatrics, first appeared in the September 26th Public Opinion Newspaper. Click here to read it on www.publicopiniononline.com)
As professional football players come forward to demand better care and prevention for concussions, it’s important to remember that
this form of a traumatic brain injury also frequently affects children and teenagers.
With as many as 3.8 million sports and recreation related concussions happening each year, consider your child’s activities and look for concussion symptoms after any head trauma, but especially when your child is active in sports.
What is a concussion?
A concussion, also called a mild traumatic brain injury, involves a change in mental status caused by brain injury with or without loss of consciousness. A direct impact to the head can commonly result in concussion but an injury to the body that transmits excessive force to the head can also result in a concussion.
Common symptoms include confusion, dizziness, disorientation, loss of memory, feeling foggy, headache, blurred vision, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, poor concentration, and a slowedability to process information.
Concussions are often under-reported by athletes due to failure to recognize the symptoms, so be on the lookout for any signs when your child engages in sports. Sports related concussions are common but recreational activities, falls, and accidents can also cause concussion in children.
Get professional help.
If your child has suffered a blow to the head, it’s vital to get an evaluation by a health care provider. Children do not lose consciousness every time when suffering from a concussion and symptoms are not always obvious right after the injury.
Be sure to monitor your child closely and watch for any signs of head trauma. Your health care provider may order further tests, such as an MRI or CT scan, if they suspect additional damage has been done.
Physical and mental rest is the most important aspect of treatment of a concussion though specific treatment may vary depending on the severity of the brain trauma. Avoid any activity or situations that may slow recovery as secondary injury can further and sometimes cause irreversible harm to the brain.
Symptoms can get worse and become prolonged, resulting in long-term effects. Allow adequate time off from sports, other physical activity, and mental activity such as playing video games during the recovery period, which can take as long as two weeks. Recovering from concussion takes time and no child should be allowed to return to play the same day or while still showing symptoms at rest or with exertion.
Don’t take chances.
Since their brains are still developing, younger children are more vulnerable to the effects of concussion. Also, some children with previous history of concussions, pre-existing chronic headaches, ADHD, anxiety and depression may have symptoms that might last longer than those without these conditions. It’s important to talk to your health care provider about these concerns and help your child get the rest and recovery time needed.
For more information about concussions, visit http://www.cdc.gov/concussion.
Dr. Venkata Konanki is a board certified pediatrician at Keystone Pediatrics located at the Cochran Professional Center at 830 Fifth Ave. in Chambersburg. Visit www.keystonepediatrics.org for more information.
Please note : This article contains general information only and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment or care by a qualified health care provider.
