Concussion is a head injury with a temporary loss of brain function which can cause a variety of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms include:
Appears to be dazed or stunned
Answers questions slowly
Loses consciousness (even temporarily)
Shows behavior or personality change
Forgets events prior to hit (retrograde amnesia)
Forgets events after hit (anterograde amnesia)
Moves Clumsily
Signs reported by athlete
Headache
Nausea
Balance problems or dizziness
Double or fuzzy vision
Sensitivity to light
Feeling sluggish
Feeling foggy or ‘out of it”
Ringing in their ears
Loss of consciousness (LOC) is relatively rare and occurs in less than 10% of concussive injuries
If you are dealing with an athlete who has a possible concussion it is very important to remove them from play or contact until evaluation process is completed.
Second impact syndrome is a rare condition but extremely dangerous. It is when the brain swells rapidly and catastrophically after a person suffers a second concussion before symptoms from a previous concussion have subsided. The younger the athlete the more at risk they are for second impact syndrome.
Proper Treatment of a Concussion
The new Gold standard of care for concussion management is retrieving a base-line or post-concussion score through neuro-cognitive testing. This helps get an objective measurement that will give a proper guideline to a safe return to play. With a proper side-line evaluation by a trained medical professional and a post concussion neuro-cognitive test, the best guideline can be given for the proper treatment.
Athletes and institutions that are enrolled in the Florida Hospital sports concussion are getting the standard of care when it comes to proper management of sport related concussions. With a staff that includes Athletic Trainers, Physicians, Neuropsychologist, and Neurosurgeons, we will ensure when the time is right to go back to play after a concussion occurs.
As a Parent:
You as a parent play a vital role in the concussion program as well. If at any time your son/ daughter’s behavior is out of the ordinary, for example headaches, mood swings changes in sleep patterns, as outlined in the brochure contact the FH Sports Concussion Program or your schools Athletic Trainer so proper assessment and management of the injury can be followed. An observant parent can often be the best protection for the health and well being of the student athlete.
As an Athlete:
It is your responsibility to report all head injuries to your Athletic Trainer and or Head Coach.
What if my Symptoms worsen?
Your signs and symptoms can worsen over a short period of time or may take days or weeks after the initial concussion. In any case you must seek immediate medical care for the following:
Pass out or have a black out
Have weak arms or legs
Have any numbness in any part of your body
Vomit more than once
Involuntary loss of urine or stool
Have Seizures
Cannot recognize people, places or things
Q: Can I take anything for my headache?
It is safe to take acetaminophen (Tylenol) butDo Nottake aspirin or any medication containing aspirin as this will thin your blood and may increase bleeding.
Q: When can I return to playing Sports or other activities?
You must first be cleared to participate by a physician who is trained in concussion management. Then a gradual progression of vigorous exercises should be planned out by your athletic trainer to make sure that signs and symptoms do not comeback during activity.
Experts agree that if you sustain another concussion before healing or recovering from the previous concussion, you are putting yourself at risk for permanent brain injury and possibly “second impact syndrome.”
If you have any questions about the proper management of a concussion or you or someone you know has sustained a concussion please contact us atmichael.dougherty@flhosp.orgor call 321-303-5016
