Concussions

A concussion is also called a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). It means your brain has swelled because of a blow to the head or another part of your body. Concussions can be caused by car accidents, falls and sports injuries.

If you’ve been injured during a game or sport, it’s extremely important to watch for symptoms of a concussion. If you have any symptoms commonly associated with a concussion following a collision, IMMEDIATELY stop playing and seek medical care as soon as possible.

Symptoms include:

• Loss of consciousness for any time.
• Persistent headache.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Cognitive impairment, including problems following instructions, difficulty responding to questions or generally feeling “foggy.”
• Eye problems, such as blurred vision or double vision.
• Drowsiness.
• Balance problems and clumsiness.
• Forgetfulness of events directly before or after the injury.
• Light or noise sensitivity.
• Seizures (indicates a need for immediate medical attention).
• Emotional changes, such as mood swings.

Preventing Concussion

Whether or not you’ve had a concussion before, the following tips can help you stay safe.

• Wear a helmet. While helmets can’t prevent a concussion, they can reduce the severity of a head injury. Always wear a helmet while riding a bike, skateboarding, playing contact sports like football or lacrosse and while riding a horse.
• Report any possible concussion to your parent, coach or healthcare provider.
• Never try to “just play through” a head injury.
• Follow the rules of play and exhibit good sportsmanship when participating in contact sports such as football or hockey.
• Speak up if something looks unsafe. Questioning a peer or authority figure can be intimidating, but speaking up can help you and your teammates prevent serious injury.

Recovery From Concussion

• Rest, rest, rest! Getting plenty of sleep will help you recover.
• Tell your doctor about any changes in symptoms or if new symptoms arise.
• Don’t exercise or play sports until cleared by your care provider.
• Let your teachers know what’s going on and ask for extensions as needed. You may need a note from your doctor to make this request.
• Be patient with yourself. Just as with any other injury, it’ll take time to fully recover and feel “normal” again.
• Learn more about the typical steps for returning to school and sports.

Last reviewed: August 2019