Concussions: What They Are, What to Do

Those of us with sons on the gridiron this time of year, are particularly mindful of concussions. However, it’s not just football parents who need to be clued-in to the signs and treatment for concussions. We should all be well educated about them, regardless of which sports in which are kids are engaged, or whether we even have children.

The sad fact is, concussions can happen to any of us and we all need to know what to do.

Concussions are a form of traumatic brain injury. Our brains are pretty sensitive. They’re made of vulnerable, squishy material. The good news is, they are protected by two things: a liquid barrier of blood and spinal fluid, and our nice, thick, hard skulls. So we don’t need to worry about normal wear-and-tear, such as bumping our heads on a doorway.

We do need to worry, though, when our heads are hit with major force and our brains slam against the our bony skull.

This type of injury is common among football players, but also people who play other sports, like soccer. It doesn't stop there.

Jarring blows to the head can also stem from falls, such as playground accidents among children or older people loosing their footing. Bicycle accidents and car accidents often result in head injuries. Military combat can lead to traumatic brain injury. Physical abuse can often result in a concussion, as well, which is one reason why you should NEVER SHAKE A CHILD! (or adult)!

It's important to understand the fact that bumps on the head can be fatal. Sometimes the injury can cause bleeding in the head, which can turn deadly very fast.

Rush the injured person to the nearest emergency medical facility if they:

• Lose consciousness for more than 30 seconds
• Vomit repeatedly
• Slur speech
• Experience seizures
• Have one pulil larger than the other 
• Looks very drowsy and can't be awakened 
• Have a headache that gets worse over time 
• Act strangely: Mentally (can't remember names) and/or Emotionally (agitated)
• Are clumsy, stumbling, uncoordinated 
• Are a small child that cannot stop crying or be consoled.
• Are a small child that will not nurse or eat.

If someone sustains a head injury and does not exhibit any of the symptoms above, they may still have suffered a concussion and should be evaluated soon.

Take the person to a doctor with a day or two if they had:

• Loss of consciousness less than 30 seconds
• Pressure in the head
• Dizziness or "Seeing stars"
• Ringing in the ears
• Dazed appearance
• Fatigue

Sometimes people who experience concussions suffer with other problems for days, weeks, even months after the injury, such as:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Senstivity to light and/or noise
• Difficulty sleeping
• Irritability
• Depression
• Difficulty smelling or tasting.

WARNING! As if having a concussion isn’t bad enough, it’s even worse to get ANOTHER ONE before the symptoms of the first one are gone. This is called “second impact syndrome” and it may result in rapid and usually FATAL brain swelling.

So if you or someone for whom you are caring suffered a concussion, take it easy for a while. Athletes will hate this, but it’s very important that they not return to the playing field until they are completely healed.