Be Well

What parents should know about

REVIEWED BY CHARLES J. SPRAGUE, M.D.

Boys Town Pediatrics

Organized sports teach children and adolescents how to work as a team, develop leadership, earn respect, learn discipline and stay active. Unfortunately, injury also comes with the territory. Just as a game or practice stops for a pulle d muscle, sprain or broken bone, if an athlete is suspected to have a possible concussion — it’s time to get off the eld.

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury resulting from a direct hit or force to the head or neck that causes the brain to move back and forth in the skull. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, contact sports are second, only to vehicle

CONCUSSIONS AND HEAD INJURIES in youth sports • Blurred vision • Confusion • Dizziness • Sleepy or sleep problems Serious long-term consequences may accidents, as the leading cause of traumatic occur if a concussion is left untreated. If brain injury among individuals ages 15 to 24. you suspect that your child may have a concussion or you notice that your child is SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS showing signs or symptoms of a concussion, OF A CONCUSSION contact your child’s primary physician right Concussions in youth sports may be mild away or take your child to the emergency to severe, but all need to be treated by a room. medical professional. A common myth is that a person needs to fall unconscious or “black PREVENTION OF CONCUSSIONS out” in order to have a concussion. This is The best defense against sustaining a not always the case. The following are signs sports-related concussion is to make sure and symptoms of a concussion: your child: • Headache • Understands the rules of the game • Memory loss • Learns proper training techniques • Behavior change • Plays with children his/her age, size and • Delayed physical responses development level • Slurred or unclear speech If a child does sustain a head injury during • Empty stare play, the child should be removed from play and evaluated by a medical professional. As the parent, you can ask your child’s coach for the plan of action if a child is injured during the activity. Remember, you are the parent and if you feel your child has received any injury that should be medically evaluated, you have the authority to remove your child from play and seek medical care.

NEBRASKA LAW REGARDING CONCUSSIONS

Nebraska is one of 26 states that signed a Concussion Safety Law (LB 260), requiring schools to offer trainings to coaches on how to recognize the symptoms and to seek proper medical treatment for a concussion or brain injury. The law also requires immediate removal from the practice or game if the athlete is suspected to have a concussion or brain injury. In order to return to play, the athlete must be cleared by a licensed medical professional.

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