aHead Fact of Sheet: the Game
Concussion Facts: . Caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body that
causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth . A type of brain injury, often happening without the loss of
consciousness . This injury can actually change how the cells in the brain
normally work . Concussions can have a long-term impact on a person’s
cognitive, physical, and psychological function . ALL concussions need to be tended to by a physician or other
professional medical personnel . ALL concussions are serious
Concussion signs and symptoms Your child might have a concussion if they report the following symptoms:
• Headache or pressure in the head
• Nausea or vomiting
• Balance problems or dizziness
• Double or blurry vision
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Feeling sluggish, hazy, or foggy
• Concentration or memory problems
• Confusion
• Feeling more emotional, nervous, or anxious
• Does not “feel right” or is “feeling down”
Concussion signs reported by coaching staff: The child...
• Appears dazed or stunned
• Is confused about assignment or position
• Forgets an instruction or play
• Is unsure of score or opponent
• Moves clumsily or with poor balance
• Answers questions slowly
• Briefly loses consciousness
• Shows mood, behavior, or personality changes
• Can’t recall events prior to the hit or fall
• Can’t recall events after the hit or fall
Create Awareness. Prevent Injuries. aHead of the Game!
Parents Edition
CHARTIS
Did you know? . 135,000 children between the ages of 5 and 18 are treated in emergency rooms each year for sports or recreation-related concussions and other head injuries1 . Sports and recreational activities contribute to about
21 percent of all traumatic brain injuries among American children2 . Athletes who have ever had a concussion are at an increased
risk for another concussion1 . Although death from a sports injury is rare, the leading
cause of death from a sports-related injury is a brain injury1
What happens next?
Home Concussions
Care for
If your child experiences a concussion and If you suspect that your child has a concussion,
while you wait for health care professional this 4-step action plan should be implemented:
evaluation results: 1
Remove the child from play. When in doubt, sit them out. 2
Ensure that your child is evaluated by a health care professional experienced in evaluating for concussions. 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. Coaches should record the following information that can help health
IT’S OK TO: . Take Acetaminophen . Ice the head and neck . Eat a light diet . Return to school care professionals in assessing the child after the injury:
. Sleep
• Cause of the injury and the force of the hit or blow to the head or body
. Rest
• Any loss of consciousness (passed out/knocked out) and if so, for how long
NO NEED TO:
• Any memory loss immediately following the injury
. Check eyes with a flashlight
• Any seizures immediately following the injury
. Wake up every hour
• Number of previous concussions (if any) 3
Get information on concussions from the coach. Make sure you know
. Test reflexes . Stay in bed
that the child should be seen by a health care professional experienced in
DO NOT! evaluating for concussion. 4
Keep your child out of play the day of the injury and until an
. Drink alcohol . Take narcotics (like vicodin) appropriate health care professional says he or she is symptom-free and is okay to return to play.
Keep Informed: A recent study conducted for Safe Kids USA, “A National Survey of Parents’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Self-Reported Behaviors Concerning Sports Safety” found that 94% of parents overwhelming say it is very important that they and coaches know the signs and symptoms of Concussions, but yet only 29% of parents are confident in their child’s coaches or their own abilities to recognize the signs.3
Concussion Recognition:
Your child might have a concussion if you see:
. A forceful blow to their head
AND
. Any change in behavior, thinking, or
physical functioning
Post-Concussion Syndrome Although the majority of athletes who experience a concussion are likely to recover, an unknown number of these individuals may experience chronic cognitive and neurobehavioral difficulties related to recurrent injury long after the initial blow to the head. Symptoms may include:
• Chronic headaches
• Fatigue
• Sleep difficulties
• Personality changes (e.g. increased irritability, emotionality)
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Dizziness when standing quickly
• Deficits in short-term memory, problem solving and general academic functioning
In addition to this group of symptoms, suffering a second blow to the head while recovering from an initial concussion can have catastrophic consequences as in the case of “Second Impact Syndrome,” which has led to approximately 30–40 deaths over the past decade.6 To prevent Second Impact Syndrome, make sure athletes who are experiencing concussion symptoms do not play another game. When in doubt, sit them out.
Youth concussions and type of sports The number of kids playing youth sports is between 30–40 million a year – with three out of four homes having at least one child playing a sport. Concussions can occur in any sport.7
Children have exposure to concussions in a variety of sports, such as:
• Football • Cheerleading • Hockey
• Rugby • Skiing • Soccer
• Baseball • Figure Skating • Lacrosse
• Martial Arts • Swimming • Volleyball
• Softball • Snowboarding
Concussion Prevention Parents, coaches, and the kids themselves can work together to help guard against concussions. It’s a team effort... and when it comes to preventing concussions and staying safe, we’re all on the same team! Here are some simple things we all can do to keep our kids safe from head injuries: When in doubt, sit it out. Kids love their sports and may want to continue playing even if they don’t feel right. Parents may feel that it shows strength and courage to keep playing. Coaches and trainers need to reassure parents and their children that it’s okay to sit out a practice or game if an injury is suspected, and that any bump or blow to the head needs to be examined for a possible concussion. Safety comes first, no matter what. Use proper protective equipment in every game and practice. Equipment should fit properly, be well maintained, and worn consistently—no exceptions. Match it up. Always match the equipment to the sport and position. Knowledge is always power! Educate athletes, parents, and coaches about the dangers of concussions and their long-term affect. Bring in a local doctor to talk to the parents and kids about what symptoms to look
for and how serious concussions can be. Repeated concussions can result in permanent brain damage and can affect a child’s entire life and future. Follow the rules. Enforce safety rules and the rules of each sport. Review these regularly with the kids and their parents. Consider penalties and even expulsion from the game for those who don’t follow the rules. Be a sport. Encourage and practice good sportsmanship during each game and each practice. Beyond awareness. Conducting baseline neuropsychiatric testing on your athletes is a good start to getting them back on the playing field quicker. Comparing your athletes, pre/post-injury reflexes and memory is more accurate when you know their abilities objectively through a baseline test.
For further information and access to other educational materials, visit www.chartisinsurance.com/ahead of the game
1 http://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/statistics/html 2 National Safe Kids campaign 3 Hart Research Associates, “A National Survey of Parents’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Self-Reported Behaviors Concerning Sports Safety,” April 2011 4 http://impacttest.com/concussion/overview 5 SafeKids USA Sport and Recreation Safety Fact Sheet
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