It’s almost fall, which means one thing in Texas…the return of football season. Football is played by kids of all ages around here, starting as young as five years old in some local Pop Warner and flag football leagues. Other popular fall sports include boys’ and girls’ soccer and basketball. All three sports involve a great deal of physical contact on the field which can result in player injury including concussions…for boys and girls.
Here are three key facts about concussions.
- Concussions are extremely common, especially among kids. A recent study estimated up to 2 million concussions occur in kids each year due to sports and recreation. Dr. Michael Reardon discussed the frequency of these injuries in an interview with KVUE-TV.
- They can be difficult to diagnose in children. While concussions are not uncommon among kids, they can be hard to spot. Children may exhibit the same warning signs and symptoms as adults (including nausea/vomiting, sluggishness, sensitivity to light/noise, blurred vision), but young children may have a hard time describing that they have a “headache,” or even remembering they bumped their head.
- Some concussions are worse than others. Grade 1: The brain becomes injured, but the child does not lose consciousness Grade 2: a child may become disoriented, or they may not remember what they’ve been doing, but they have not lost consciousness Grade 3: a child has lost all consciousness.
If you ever suspect that your child has suffered a concussion, due to a sports injury or other accident, seek medical help immediately. Help might be a school trainer or pediatrician for mild injuries or and emergency room if your child has lost consciousness.
