Summer is here, and families are ready to enjoy the sun, bond, and have fun. Children are prepared to go back to school and join sports. While parents are excited to see their children create friends, be active, and enjoy their childhood, but there are some concerns and questions regarding safety. Pediatrician Lead Dr. Shari Jackson has some vital information to help parents’ prevent simple head injuries and concussions. Besides avoiding head injuries, treatment is critical, knowing how and when to act when a head injury occurs.
A common concern with a head injury for any child is the possibility of a concussion. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells. These can be caused by common physical or accidental activities such as falls to the floor, contact sport, motor vehicle crashes, collisions, biking, skateboarding, etc. Some ways to know if your child has a concussion after a head injury:
- Problems of concentration
- Headaches that are painful and last awhile
- Memory difficulties
- Feelings of tiredness and fatigued
- Irritability and mood disruption
- Photosensitivity to bright lights such as tablets, tv, smart-phones
- Sleep problems
- A change in general quality of life
- Noticing weakness or decreased coordination
- Repeated vomiting and nausea
- Speech slur
- One pupil, which is the dark center of the eye, is bigger than the other
These are some observations when determining if your child could be at risk of a concussion. According to Dr. Jackson, “One thing to remember is that a concussion is a problem with the brain’s function. If a CT or MRI test comes out negative, there is still an injury, and the brain needs to recover.” Dr. Shari Jackson suggests that children with concussions cut back on mental and physical activities, which your child’s physician can address. The pediatrician will set up a plan depending on the child’s injury and severity. This may include physical activity, time off school, reducing screen time from laptops, tablets, television, and phones. In most cases, symptoms of concussions resolve over a few weeks, but with athlete children, the recovery time will most likely be longer.
Dr. Jackson reminds parents and coaches that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Some ways to prevent a concussion are:
- Ensure games/sports are coordinated with its own rules for safety standards and regulations to the event/sport.
- If bicycling, skating, scooters, Heelys, etc., make sure to wear a proper head helmet, elbow, wrist, and knee pads. This includes other sports such as baseball, football, soccer, etc., to assure your child is equipped with proper safety gear.
- Avoid unnecessary uses of ATVs when children are not qualified to drive such vehicles.
Sports and physical activities are not all bad and dangerous if proper safety standards and rules are established. They are essential for your child to develop coordination and leadership skills, self-confidence, learn teamwork, have opportunities with success and failure, and a lifelong habitat of exercising to stay healthy.
