What if My Child Gets a Concussion During Game Day?
The brain is soft, cushioned by cerebrospinal fluid inside the skull — but a fall or collision can make the brain bang against the skull, causing a concussion. In sports, people typically think of football as the prime sport where concussion is common. However, a study by Henry Ford Health System confirms that most sports come with a risk of concussion in young athletes. While football accounted for 27.7% of concussions, hockey, soccer, basketball, and even cheerleading also resulted in brain trauma. Experts add that there is also a risk for concussions in non-contact sports like golf and swimming, so every parent needs to be prepared for any scenario. Below are a few things to watch out for and what to do if they have a concussion.
Symptoms
• Headache
This is the most common symptom of a concussion. While the type of headache may vary, concussion headaches are typically tension headaches or described as having a feeling of tightness/pressure in the head. People can also describe a concussion headache as feeling like their head is blowing up like a balloon or that a clamp is tightening around their head.
• Sleep problems
Sleep problems due to a concussion can be either insomnia (trouble falling/staying asleep) or hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness). Insomnia can cause sleep deprivation, which can affect overall health in growing children. This can result in problems with thinking, concentrating, and remembering, not to mention that it can make them moody. Sleep deprivation can weaken the immune system as well, making kids more likely to get sick.
Meanwhile concussion can also cause the opposite, and hypersomnia can cause further health problems in your child as well. The health advice on SymptomFind helps people understand common health problems, and covers excessive sleepiness in one of their articles. They note that this can lead to weight loss due to a loss of appetite, cognitive issues such as memory loss and inability to focus, and even anxiety. Hypersomnia can be disruptive and even dangerous, as they may fall asleep anywhere, even while crossing the street.
• Sensitivity to light and noise
A concussion can injure the nerves or bruise specific parts of the brain, which may cause sensitivity to light and/or noise. Your child may get headaches from exposure to bright lights or noise. Having this symptom can make it hard for them to go through their day as the brain is having difficulty processing these sensory signals.
What to do if you suspect a concussion
Article specially written for tozuda.com
By Alicia Garnett
Image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1508354895968-a7ceee083492
Credit: Unsplash
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