How to tell and what to do if your child has a concussion

For children playing contact sports, such as football and hockey, injuries are common. Even when wearing proper safety gear such as helmets and pads, cuts, bruises and even broken bones can result from playing at high levels. But while most injuries are immediately noticeable, a brain injury initially can be hidden and sometimes very serious.

It is important that a child with a possible concussion be removed from the game and immediately evaluated. Symptoms of a concussion include:

• Headaches.
• Dizziness, lightheadedness.
• Nausea, vomiting.
• Unsteadiness.
• Blurred or double vision, flashing lights.
• Confusion.
• Vacant stare.
• Delayed verbal or motor response.
• Disorientation.
• Slurred or incoherent speech.
• Emotional instability.
• Loss of memory.
• Loss of consciousness.

Sideline evaluation

To test the child's mental status, orientation, concentration and memory, ask the child to:

• Tell you the time, place, year. Ask him or her to explain the injury and how it happened.
• Repeat numbers in reverse order. For example, 3-1-7 should elicit the response 7-1-3. Repeat the months of the year in reverse order. For example, January, February, March should elicit the response March, February, January.
• Name several teams played earlier in the season, recall three words said after three to five minutes, list recent newsworthy events.

After symptoms resolve, test the child's physical status, strength, coordination and sensation by looking for symptoms while he or she runs a 40-yard sprint, does five push-ups, five sit-ups or five deep knee bends.

Once a player has sustained a concussion, he or she is more susceptible to repeat concussions. In addition, the consequences of a subsequent concussion will, most likely, be worse.