Concussion: Signs and Symptoms
Football season is upon us and if your child is playing there are some signs and symptoms that you should know. A lot of times it can be brushed off as “getting your bell rung” and that is simply not okay.
- Headache – it can worsen with light exposure, reading, video games, and TV
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Loss of memory – there are 2 different kinds of memory loss – it could be of the events that happened prior to the concussion or it could be of things/questions/events after the concussion
- Inability to focus – difficulty paying attention in class, not being able to complete homework tasks (that seem different than their normal of course)
- Loss of consciousness – blacking out or passing out
If a student is not given the proper time to heal after a concussion some of these symptoms can last much longer than they should. To help someone recover from a concussion the biggest proponent is brain and eye rest. limit reading, phone usage, video games, and TV; these things cause our eyes to do too much work and can increase the length of symptoms. Also being sure that the concussion is fully healed before letting them participate in a contact sport again is crucial. A second hit to a healing brain can potentially cause more damage.
Prevention
- Proper tackling technique – see your coach for details!
As always if you have any concerns and need us, we are here for you from Monday-Saturday, 8 am -8 pm. No appointment is needed….we take walk-ins 🙂
Elena Jamscek, PA-C