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Concussions

Concussions are a mild form of traumatic brain injury (TBI) resulting from a forceful blow to the head, during which the brain collides with the skull and delicate brain tissue is damaged. Concussions are dangerous at any age, but adolescents face an increased risk due to the still-developing status of their brains. Over 400,000 children and adolescents throughout the United States visit an emergency department each year for TBI. Typically, individuals who experience a concussion return to their normal state after a short period of recovery. However, multiple concussions can lead to serious problems. Certain precautions should be taken to prevent concussion, and if one occurs, the brain must be given plenty of time to fully heal.

Contact sports such as football, hockey, soccer, lacrosse and basketball present a high risk for concussions. If your child participates in any of these activities, ensure that they wear proper safety equipment at all times. Even for sports in which helmets are not required, such as soccer, protective headgear is available.

Though it may be difficult to determine whether a child has suffered a concussion following a blow to the head, there are several key warning signs: lost consciousness, amnesia, nausea, confusion, dizziness and headache. Parents are urged to always check with a primary care physician or visit the Emergency Department or Urgent Care if unsure about a child’s condition. It is important that concussions are diagnosed to prevent the child from returning to regular activity too quickly.

Following a concussion, children should avoid both physical and mental exertion as much as possible. Check on them frequently to ensure that symptoms are not worsening. A primary care physician will provide parents with more specific care information depending on the severity of the injury.

From May through July each year, Licking Memorial Health Systems (LMHS) offers free pre-participation sports screenings to all middle- and high-school student athletes in Licking County. These screenings include a baseline concussion screening program, known as ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), which is a computerized evaluation system that assesses the brain’s cognitive functions, such as memory, attention span, and reaction times. Each student completes a 20-minute computer test to establish baseline results. If that student suffers a concussion in the future, the computer test can be re-administered, and the new results will be compared to the baseline. The difference in scores will help physicians determine how long the student will need to fully recover.

While it may be difficult for youth to take a few days – or weeks – off from the activities they enjoy, it is important to remember that it is always better to miss a few games or practices than to suffer lifelong damage to the brain.

| Posted On : 9/19/2014 8:27:43 AM