Signs Your Child May Have A Concussion & How To Prevent It

Posted on: 21 January 2016

You care for your child, and you want to do everything you can to keep your child safe from things like concussions. This guide will show you how to protect your child and some of the warning signs associated with a concussion.  

Signs Related To A Concussion

A parent should always be cautious (this does not mean that you should be overprotective) because concussions are common enough to cause you concern, in fact, around 2.5 million emergency visits were related to head traumas.

The following are some of the signs that you should watch out for:

  • A headache or pressure in your head.
  • Loss of memory, which could be immediate or delayed. Some even lose memory of the accident itself.
  • Feeling confused or dizzy. Perhaps your child will say that he or she is seeing stars.
  • Nausea or vomiting.
  • Your child might not respond to questions quickly or his or her speech might be slurred.
  • A development of light or noise sensitivity.
  • Senses like his or her sense of smell or touch might appear out-of-whack.
  • Excessive crying or sleepiness.
  • A loss of consciousness (especially, if it lasts longer than 30 seconds)

You should consider having your child see the doctor as soon as you can after a head injury, even if these signs go away quickly.

A Few Ways To Prevent Concussions

You can--besides making sure that your child wears head-protective gear when riding a bike or playing particular sports--consider some of the following:

Falls

The link above (about the 2.5 million head injury-related visits) also points out that 40 percent of those incidents are related to falls. And more than half (55 percent) of the 40 percent involve children. The following tips might help prevent falls:

  • Do not keep clutter in your home because it could lead to trips.
  • Install anti-slip rugs or rugs to provide a softer cushion in your home.
  • Try to help your child improve his or her balance through balance-strengthening activities, like dance or simply walking in a straight line.

Sports

About 248,000 kids are treated in a hospital due to an injury they received while playing a particular sport. And statistics show that these incidents occur more with girls. 

Some of the sports mostly associated with concussions include basketball, football, and soccer. This does not mean that your child should not play these sports. But, perhaps, he or she can abstain from the game until your kid has mastered the game and game-safety techniques that your child's coach can teach him or her.

As you can see there is a lot you can do to prevent concussions and now you know what a concussion might look like, should you be faced with such a situation. For further assistance, contact local professionals, such as those from Sound Family Health.

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