{"id":1943,"date":"2022-10-21T09:21:16","date_gmt":"2022-10-21T09:21:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/?p=1943"},"modified":"2022-10-27T09:28:11","modified_gmt":"2022-10-27T09:28:11","slug":"signs-and-symptoms-of-concussion-in-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/signs-and-symptoms-of-concussion-in-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Signs and Symptoms of Concussion in Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A concussion can be best described as a mild traumatic brain injury (also called mild TB). These injuries usually occur when a blow to the head makes it move back and forth forcefully, causing specific chemical alterations in the brain, sometimes even damaging its cells.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While concussions in kids may seem concerning, children who follow the healthcare provider&#8217;s medical advice will usually experience their symptoms subsiding within a few weeks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In this article, the expert team at <\/span><a href=\"\/worldwide-pediatrics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Worldwide Pediatrics<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> will elaborate on this topic, discussing the most prevalent signs of concussion in kids, concussion testing options, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Concussion Symptoms in Kids<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The most apparent sign of mild TB is that the patient loses consciousness, but that&#8217;s not always the case. Sometimes, children may receive a mild TB-inducing blow and still remain conscious.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As such, other signs of concussions may include the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Seeing double or blurred vision<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Headaches<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Trouble walking, dizziness, balance issues<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Saying senseless things and confusion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Difficulty answering questions or only addressing them slowly<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Vomiting or nausea<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Slurred speech<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Not recalling the blow itself\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Not feeling well<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While most symptoms of a concussion in children can be observed immediately, some might take a few hours or days to show. Concussions in kids may also produce the following symptoms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Difficulty paying attention and focusing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Memory problems and sudden learning challenges<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Headaches that get worse over time<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sleep problems<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Feelings of anger, sadness, nervousness, or upset<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the following concussion symptoms in kids get worse after the injury, parents should go to the ER or call their healthcare provider immediately:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The child passes out<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Constant severe headaches that only get worse<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Seizures<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Other problematic symptoms like continued vomiting<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These are signs of more severe concussion requiring prompt and expert medical treatment in a hospital.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How Does a Concussion Happen?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1945 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/How-Does-a-Concussion-Happen.jpg\" alt=\"Child at Pediatricians Office Holding Ice Pack on His Head With Mother and Doctor in Room\" width=\"1000\" height=\"527\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/How-Does-a-Concussion-Happen-200x105.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/How-Does-a-Concussion-Happen-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/How-Does-a-Concussion-Happen-400x211.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/How-Does-a-Concussion-Happen-600x316.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/How-Does-a-Concussion-Happen-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/How-Does-a-Concussion-Happen-800x422.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/How-Does-a-Concussion-Happen.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The skull plays a pivotal role in protecting the brain from trauma, and the spinal fluid helps cushion the brain inside. A forceful jolt or blow to the head can directly injure the brain and make it move around the skull, banging up against the hard bone. The trauma changes the signals between the nerves, leading to concussion symptoms in children.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For the most part, these mild brain injuries happen to children and teens while they are playing sports. Those youngsters playing football, soccer, lacrosse, ice hockey, and field hockey are at the highest risk of concussions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Still, these injuries can also result from:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hard falls<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fights<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bike or car accidents<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>How to Test for a Concussion?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How to test for a concussion following an injury? Most often, medical experts will perform the following tests to establish a diagnosis:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ask about the symptoms the child&#8217;s experiencing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ask about how the injury happened<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Perform brief concentration and memory tests<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Test the child&#8217;s reflexes, coordination, and balance<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When the injury happens during a sports game, trainers or coaches may perform sideline concussion testing to see whether the athlete requires medical care or not. If an athlete suffers a head injury, they must stop playing immediately and should seek medical attention before returning to the field.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To help diagnose concussions in kids, sports leagues and schools often use baseline concussion testing that uses computer programs to test the injured child&#8217;s\/athletes regular brain functions, checking memory, attention, and thinking speed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Parents should also know that there are no visible mild concussion symptoms on CAT scans or MRIs. That said, doctors may only order brain scans when more severe problems accompany the injury, like:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Continous headaches<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Worsening headaches<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When the damage was the result of a severe car accident or a nasty and high fall<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Treatment for Concussions<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Each child will recover from mild TBs at their own pace, and parents should ensure that there&#8217;s balance in the kid&#8217;s routine, meaning that they will be neither overwhelmed nor do too little.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">First, the child should cut back on those activities that are overly physical or require too much concentration. Only after a while should they return to these activities. Also, you don&#8217;t have to wait for the concussion symptoms to be entirely gone for your child to add new activities to their schedules. Still, if the injury interferes with an everyday task, it&#8217;s best that the child takes a break from it and try it later, after a few minutes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To make a full recovery, these steps can be vital:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Resting at Least for a Day or Two After the Injury<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Focus on calm activities like talking with friends and family, drawing, playing quiet games, coloring, reading, etc. If something seems too challenging, have the child take a break from it and try it again in a little while.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cut back on screen time. Texting, watching TV, playing video games, and using social media may worsen symptoms.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Teens shouldn&#8217;t drive during this period.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">No physical activity and sports that can lead to a second injury.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Help the child get adequate sleep.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Light Activity a Week After the Concussion<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The child may try more activities like watching TV or going for walks. If the symptoms interfere with something, it&#8217;s okay to take breaks.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Following a few days, it&#8217;s okay for the child to go back to school. Working with the school team and the kid&#8217;s healthcare provider is essential to create an adequate return-to-school plan, starting with a lighter workload.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ensure that the child won&#8217;t engage in any sports or activities that may lead to a second injury at this point.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The child should still get plenty of sleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If headaches are still present, talk to your healthcare provider.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Introducing Moderate Activity (A Week or More After the Accident)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1946 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/Introducing-Moderate-Activity-A-Week-or-More-After-the-Accident.jpg\" alt=\"Children Hiking in Mountains or Forest With Sport Hiking Shoes.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"595\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/Introducing-Moderate-Activity-A-Week-or-More-After-the-Accident-200x119.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/Introducing-Moderate-Activity-A-Week-or-More-After-the-Accident-300x179.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/Introducing-Moderate-Activity-A-Week-or-More-After-the-Accident-400x238.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/Introducing-Moderate-Activity-A-Week-or-More-After-the-Accident-600x357.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/Introducing-Moderate-Activity-A-Week-or-More-After-the-Accident-768x457.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/Introducing-Moderate-Activity-A-Week-or-More-After-the-Accident-800x476.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2022\/10\/Introducing-Moderate-Activity-A-Week-or-More-After-the-Accident.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When the symptoms are almost all gone, regular schoolwork can resume.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The child should still avoid sports or activities that might lead to another injury.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Breaks from activities if symptoms interfere are still advised.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Reintroducing Regular Activity a Month After the Injury<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When all symptoms are gone, the child can get back to all previous activities except sports.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regarding sports, doctors and trainers should work together to create a plan for returning to the field gradually. Only let your child return to sports if the healthcare expert says it&#8217;s okay.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A slow reintroduction to sports is essential to avoid risks of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beaumont.org\/conditions\/second-impact-syndrome#:~:text=Second%20impact%20syndrome%2C%20or%20SIS,it%20is%20most%20often%20fatal.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">second-impact syndrome<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or another head injury before an adequate recovery from the first concussion. This may lead to lasting brain damage and may have even worse consequences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Working With an Expert<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We can&#8217;t keep our children and teenagers from engaging in what they love. Parents can always warn them about the dangers associated with certain sports and physical activity. Unfortunately, injuries can happen in every sport.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also, parents can always work with experts to help avoid or treat any injuries or mishaps. That said, if you are looking for an experienced <\/span><a href=\"\/worldwide-pediatrics\/sports-medicine-doctor-plantation-florida\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">sports medicine doctor in Plantation and Doral, FL,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> feel free to schedule a consultation with us.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A concussion can be best described as a mild traumatic brain injury (also called mild TB). These injuries usually occur when a blow to the head makes it move back and forth forcefully, causing specific chemical alterations in the brain, sometimes even damaging its cells.\u00a0 While concussions in kids may seem concerning, children who follow<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1944,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[384,388,386,387,385],"class_list":["post-1943","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-childrens-health","tag-concussion-in-kids","tag-concussion-symptoms-in-kids","tag-concussions-in-children","tag-how-to-test-for-concussion","tag-signs-of-concussion-in-kids"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1943","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1943"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1943\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1944"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1943"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1943"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/worldwide-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1943"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}