Students between the ages of 10 and 19 are more likely to suffer a concussion during a sporting event than from any other source, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Younger children may suffer a concussion while playing or riding a bicycle.
As recent studies have shown, the risks of a concussion for a growing brain are particularly concerning. When a child who is healing from one concussion suffers a second concussion, the compounding injury can result in permanent brain damage, difficulty learning, or even death.
Coaches and parents should know the signs of concussion, so they can make sure children who suffer head injuries get the health care they need. Experienced Texas head injury lawyers recommend that all adults who supervise kids familiarize themselves with the signs of concussion, which include:
- Headache or a feeling of pressure in the head,
- Dizziness or loss of balance and coordination,
- Nausea and vomiting,
- Numbness or tingling in the limbs,
- Difficulty remembering, concentrating, or thinking, especially on schoolwork
- Inability to remember what happened just before or just after the head injury, even if the patient did not lose consciousness, and
- Changes in mood, including anxiety, depression, or irritability.
Any person who loses consciousness due to a head injury, who is in severe or worsening pain, who has been vomiting repeatedly, whose speech is slurred, or who cannot be woken should be given emergency medical attention immediately. Student-athletes who suffer head injuries during play or practice should be sidelined until they’ve been checked out by a doctor who clears them to return to full physical activity. Meanwhile, parents should consult with a Dallas brain injury lawyer at Crowe Arnold & Majors, LLP to look into recovery options for their child.
