School is back in session, and a new school year means that fall sports such as football and soccer will soon be getting underway. It also means that parents and coaches have to keep a sharp eye out for concussions.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half a million children under the age of 14 visit the emergency department annually for traumatic brain injuries, including concussions.
“A concussion occurs when there is a blow to the head and there is a disruption of the brain cells,” said Dr. Christopher Keenan, director of pediatrics at Shore Medical Center. “Many people think that a person needs to be unconscious for it to count as a concussion. In reality, most people do not realize if they have had one.”
The most common symptoms of a concussion are headaches, dizziness, irritability and fogginess.
“As soon as a patient tells me they were foggy I test for a concussion,” Dr. Keenan said. “If a player experiences any of these symptoms after getting hit in the head, they should stop playing and let a coach, trainer or parents know what happened.”
Although the rate of concussion sustainability is high for both boys and girls, some data shows that girls are more susceptible.
“Age is a factor as well,” Dr. Keenan explained. “The younger the brain is, the more susceptible it is to concussions. Since high school students’ brains are still developing, concussions can cause more damage.”
The short term effects of concussion include extended headaches and impairment of memory and concentration. More serious long term effects, such as dementia, difficulty concentrating and memory loss, can occur if an athlete returns to his or her sport before having fully healed.
“When an athlete gets a concussion they need to take the time to fully recover before playing again,” Dr. Keenan explained. “Sometimes the athlete will get pulled out of school to allow the brain time to heal since reading, whether it is books, text messages or a blackboard, and concentrating makes the brain work.”
If an athlete returns to play before the first concussion has fully healed, he or she runs the risk of a traumatic occurrence called Second Impact Syndrome, or SIS.
“Second Impact Syndrome occurs when two concussions happen right after each other before the first had time to fully heal,” Dr. Keenan said. “The brain swells and leads to death or severe disability.”
To help better detect, treat and prevent the more serious long-term effects of concussions, many schools are implementing a safety precaution knows as Impact Testing.
“Prior to the season, the athletes take a test to rate their brain function,” Dr. Keenan said. “The impact test is redone following a concussion to help guide when it is sage to return to play.”
The best weapons against a concussion are knowledge and responsibility. Athletes are urged to wear all protective gear required for their sport, and to keep their coaches and parents informed if they are injured. For their part, coaches, trainers and parents should be informed of the symptoms and effects of concussions, and keep their athlete’s long-term future in mind.
“Athletes might not want to be taken out of the game,” Dr. Keenan said. “But their desire to play (after a concussion) could actually harm their sports career more.”
For more information about concussions, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/.
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