Managing concussions in children’s sports

Here’s everything you need to know about this common injury, which leads to 135,000 emergency room visits each year for kids ages 5 through 18, according to a July 2007 Centers for Disease Control Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Most parents of young athletes have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with an injured child. In the heat of the moment, it’s not uncommon to put minor pain or treatment aside to finish a season or important game.

But when it comes to concussion, parents, coaches and kids cannot afford to look the other way.

Here’s everything you need to know about this common injury, which leads to 135,000 emergency room visits each year for kids ages 5 through 18, according to a July 2007 Centers for Disease Control Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Know the enemy

According to the CDC, a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head that changes the way your brain normally works.

“These types of injuries are really unique,” says Dr. Rebecca Carl, a sports medicine pediatrician at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. “We just can’t predict how a concussion will behave … no two concussions are alike.”

Promote healing

“I tell families that I see that the adults in the room would heal more slowly from every injury out there other than a concussion, from which adults heal faster,” says Carl, who advises that recent studies comparing concussions in high school and college students showed that the high school students took an average of three days longer to return to their baseline testing. “For younger kids, the healing time needed is even longer.”

With that in mind, it is crucial for athletes to wait for medical clearance before returning to play. According to the CDC, children most at risk for a concussion are those that have had one in the past, so everyone involved must keep a watchful eye. Make sure that officials and coaches create a culture where children are comfortable and are encouraged to report injuries.

Finally, ensure kids have the time they need to recover fully.

“Parents are the ones that really know their kids,” says Carl. “They must look for signs of injury and focus on healing.”

Recognize the signs

Even with fair play the emphasis, the ability to prevent concussions before they happen is very limited, according to experts like Carl, who urges coaches, officials and parents to focus on identifying especially rough hits or falls and to look for the symptoms of concussions so kids get necessary medical treatment.

Signs of a concussion can be subtle, so be aware of anything out of the norm after a big hit or injury.

“The parent that thinks ‘My kid is just not acting right after that injury’ is likely seeing signs of a concussion,” says Carl.

Change the rules

Page 2 of 2 - While various measures are in place, Carl wants folks to know that preventing these injuries is very difficult.

“Some of the protective equipment that you might think prevents concussions actually hasn’t been shown to do so,” says Carl, who says rule changes that reduce concussion-producing activity may help with prevention. “Focusing on fair play and good sportsmanship may have an effect.”