Concussions

What is a concussion?

A concussion is a brain injury that can affect how your brain works. Concussions can be caused by a blow or jolt to the head, neck, face, or body that causes the brain to shake inside your skull. Helmets DO NOT prevent or protect against concussions, but protect against other head injuries.

It is not always easy to know if someone has a concussion. You cannot see the injury from the outside and often X-rays, MRI or CT scans appear normal. Always suspect a concussion, even if the incident did not appear to be serious.

Not everyone experiences a concussion in the same way. Concussions can cause many negative side effects, including impacts to brain functions, to cognitive, emotional and physical health, and to sleep patterns. Symptoms of a concussion range from mild to severe and can last for days, weeks, or even months. Symptoms can occur right away or even a few days after the injury. Contact your doctor if you have symptoms of a concussion.

Consequently, the healing process also varies from person to person. A concussion is unlike any other type of injury.

If you think your child has a concussion immediately remove your child from the activity and seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Common symptoms of a concussion

Physical:

Dizziness
Nausea or vomiting
“Pressure in the head”
Headache
Balance problems
Sensitivity to light or noise
Neck pain
Seizure or convulsion
Blurred vision
Loss of consciousness
Tired or low energy

Thinking and remembering:

Difficulty remembering
Confusion
Difficulty concentrating
Feeling slowed down

Emotional:

Easily upset or angered
Nervous or anxious
More emotional
Feeling like in a “fog”
“Don’t feel right”
Sad

Sleep:

Sleeping more than usual
Sleeping less than usual
Having a hard time falling asleep

Symptoms in young children

While young children can have the above symptoms of a concussion, sometimes it can be hard to tell if a small child has a concussion. Be aware of these warning signs:

Crying more than usual
Headache that does not go away
Changes in the way they play or act
Changes in the way they nurse, eat, or sleep
Being upset easily or having more temper tantrums
Lack of interest in their usual activities or favourite toys
Loss of new skills, such as toilet training
Loss of balance and trouble walking
Not paying attention

How are concussions treated?

Recovering from a concussion can take a few days, weeks or months. It is important to give yourself time to heal and slowly return to your regular activities. Returning to daily activities should only be done with approval from your physician or Nurse Practitioner. If symptoms return, stop and rest for a day.

Rest is the best way to treat a concussion. Rest both your body and your brain. These tips will help you recover:

Get plenty of sleep at night, and take it easy during the day
Do not use alcohol and illegal drugs
Only take medicines that your doctor says is okay
Avoid activities that are physically or mentally demanding
You may need to change your school or work schedule while you recover
Ask your doctor when it is safe for you to drive a car or ride a bike
Use ice or a cold pack on any swelling for 10 to 20 minutes at a time

Second Impact Syndrome

While rare, second impact syndrome is very dangerous. Second impact syndrome can happen when a person, who has a brain injury and while still experiencing symptoms (not fully recovered), sustains a second brain injury. This can cause brain swelling and permanent brain injury or death. Brain swelling may also occur without previous trauma.

Visit our Injury Prevention in Schools page for school-related concussion information.