First published: 2 October 2022 @ 6:00 pm
Head injury and concussion are the most common cause of injury and death in young people. As a parent, the risk of concussion in your children is a genuine concern.
Are Effects of Concussion Dangerous?
There are two types of head injury, the mild and the severe. If your child experiences a mild head injury, he will usually be fine in a few hours.
However, if your child suffers from a severe head injury, they may have memory loss, headaches, and balance problems.
The severity of symptoms can vary depending on how long your child has been unconscious or even for how long his brain has been damaged.
The earlier you know about these symptoms, the better chance you have at recovery and rehabilitation.
What Is A Concussion?
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that causes damage to brain cells or the connections between brain cells that control certain parts of the body.
These parts include speech, memory, orientation, movement, and balance.
This type of damage is not permanent; however, it can take time for symptoms to go away completely or improve.
The symptoms vary from person-to-person. However, they usually include changes in personality, difficulty concentrating or remembering things after a blow to the head, irritability or moodiness and headache.
Symptoms of Concussion in Children
Concussion symptoms vary in severity. Sometimes, symptoms can be mild and resolved within a few days. Others may require weeks or months to resolve, while others can be persistent.
Concussion symptoms may include:
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness and lightheadedness
- Trouble concentrating or deciding, even if you feel fine otherwise
- Memory loss, especially for things that happened just a few minutes ago (blackouts) or the day before
- Blurry vision
- Sensitivity to light or noise
- Numbness on any side of the body
When you notice these signs, or if you think your child may have a concussion, it’s important to get medical help right away.
Photo by Kindel Media on Pexels.
What to Do When Your Child Is Hurt?
Head injury after during any physical activity should be taken seriously.
First, seek immediate medical attention from the nearest hospital or emergency room.
Never move a child with head injuries until an appropriate medical professional arrives.
If a child is unconscious, the doctor may need to move the head to avoid further injury to the neck.
Most times, head injury only causes a mild concussion and may require only a few days of rest to fully recover.
When possible, follow the directions of the medical professional to help ensure that the child is receiving proper care.
How Long is the Recovery Time?
After a head injury, children should not return to their normal activity until the doctor has examined them and released them from any restrictions on activity.
They should also have a follow-up visit with their doctor to monitor any changes in their recovery, even if it’s only short-term changes.
Check for swelling around the eyes, mouth, ears or neck. If there is swelling around any of these areas, it could indicate a brain injury.
Also, pay attention if they suddenly have different sleeping habits.
Your children’s gradual return to the usual activities usually happens after a complete recovery.
Contact Concussion Specialist Immediately
To sum it up, if your child gets hit in the head, stop immediately and take him/her to a doctor as soon as possible.
We hope this article has provided you with all the information you need to know about concussions in children and what to do when your child has one.
You can read our blog, Mature Parent, for more tips on how to manage your child’s behavior and be the parent they need you to be.
