According to Injury Facts, the leading cause of unintentional injury for youth (ages 15 – 24) is being struck by another person or object. When a blow occurs to the head, the young adult can suffer a concussion or brain injury.
In fact, according to the Brain Injury Research Institute, approximately 1.6 – 3.8 million athletes suffer concussion and many of those incidents go unnoticed or unreported. Currently, most of those sports-related concussions take place during a student’s high school years, but data indicates that concussions in younger students are on the rise. While many people assume that concussions happen primarily to football players and to young males, Safe Kids Worldwide reports that girls suffer a “higher percentage of concussions”.
It’s important to note that once an athlete suffers from concussion, she or he is 4 – 6 times more likely to suffer from a second concussion.
So what should you look for if your child is stuck in the head?
- Dizziness
- Disorientation
- Confusion
- Headaches
- Poor balance/clumsy
- Slowed speech
- Mood or behavioral changes
If you suspect your child is concussed, it is important to have a physician examine your child.
The Center for Disease Control’s Heads Up webpages are a great resource for parents, youth and coaches who are interested in learning more about brain injuries. The Brain Injury Basics page provides information about:
- Concussion signs, symptoms and danger signs
- Severe brain injury
- Returning to school, sports and activities after suffering a concussion or brain injury
- Recovering from a concussion
- Tips and prevention
