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Concussions
THE FACTS
A concussion is a brain injury
.
All concussions are serious
.
Concussions can occur without
loss of consciousness.
Concussions can occur in any sport
.
Recognition and proper management of concussions when they first occur
can help prevent further injury or even death.
WHAT IS A CONCUSSION?
A concussion is an injury that changes how the cells in the brain normally work.
A concussion is caused by a blow to the head or body that causes the brain to move
rapidly inside the skull. Even a "ding,"
"getting your bell rung," or what seems to be a mild bump or blow to the head can be serious. Concussions can also result from a fall or from players colliding with each other or with obstacles, such as a goalpost.
The potential for concussions is greatest in
athletic environments where collisions are common.
Concussions can occur, however, in
any
organized or unorganized sport or recreational activity. As many as 3.8 million sports- and recreation-related concussions occur in the United States each year.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
SIGNS OBSERVED BY COACHING STAFF
Appears dazed or stunned
Is confused about assignment or position
Forgets sports plays
Is unsure of game, score, or opponent
Moves clumsily
Answers questions slowly
Loses consciousness (even briefly)
Shows behavior or personality changes
Cant recall events prior to hit or fall
Cant recall events after hit or fall
SYMPTOMS REPORTED BY ATHLETE
Headache or "pressure" in head
Nausea or vomiting
Balance problems or dizziness
Double or blurry vision
Sensitivity to light
Sensitivity to noise
Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy
Concentration or memory problems
Confusion
Does not "feel right"
ACTION PLAN
WHAT SHOULD A COACH DO WHEN A CONCUSSION IS SUSPECTED?
1. Remove the athlete from play.
Look for the signs and symptoms of a concussion if your athlete has experienced a bump or blow to the head. Athletes who experience
signs or symptoms of concussion should not
be allowed to return to play. When in doubt,
keep the athlete out of play.
2. Ensure that the athlete is evaluated
right away by an appropriate health care
professional.
Do not try to judge the severity of the injury yourself. Health care professionals have a number of methods that they can use to assess the severity of concussions. As a coach, recording the following information can help health care professionals in assessing the athlete after
the injury:
Cause of the injury and force of the hit
Any loss of consciousness (passed out/
knocked out) and if so, for how long
Any memory loss immediately following
the injury
Any seizures immediately following the injury
Number of previous concussions (if any)
3. Inform the athletes parents or guardians about the possible concussion and give them the fact sheet on concussion.
Make sure they know that the athlete
should be seen by a health care professional experienced in evaluating for concussion.
4. Allow the athlete to return to play only
with permission from a health care
professional with experience in evaluating
for concussion.
A repeat concussion that occurs before the
brain recovers from the
first can slow recovery or increase the
likelihood of having long-term problems.
Prevent common long-term problems and the rare
second impact syndrome
by delaying the athletes return to the activity until the player receives appropriate medical evaluation and approval for return to play.
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