Concussion Facts for Families with Young Athletes

Concussion frequently asked questions

 

Learn about the most common concussion questions we receive with answers from our concussion and sports medicine experts:

Are there ways to prevent concussions in young athletes?

Though we haven't found ways to prevent concussions entirely, there are ways to reduce your athlete's concussion risk. For all players, Children's Colorado providers encourage training in proper heading technique, good body positioning skills and improved core and upper body strength to prevent or limit the consequences of blows to the head. Talk with your coach and certified athletic trainer about concussions to be sure you are all on the same page.

Fair play and penalty enforcement

Eliminating body checking in boys' ice hockey has reduced concussion rates. Other rule changes, such as reducing the number of contact practices and teaching the heads up tackling technique for football, are being evaluated to see if they have a similar impact on concussion rates.

 

Encouraging fair play and stricter penalty enforcement does seem to help reduce the overall number of sports injuries, but the effect on concussion rates is not clearly established. Other emerging ideas, which need to be further researched, include vision training, neck strengthening and other equipment add-ons or modifications.

Headgear protection

Since concussions occur from impacts that cause acceleration/deceleration as well as rotation of the head and neck, helmets and headgear do not completely prevent concussions.

 

However, a well-fitting helmet is important for reducing the risk of skull fractures and other catastrophic brain injuries. Helmets should be worn for all collision sports, as well as for recreational activities that carry a risk of falling from a height or at fast speeds, such as biking, skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, rock climbing and riding ATVs. The use of headgear has been shown to help reduce force to the head at the site of impact, but this has not been proven to translate into reduced brain impact force or reduced concussion risk.

Mouth guard protection

Mouth guards are effective in reducing injuries to the mouth – teeth, gums and tongue – but the evidence for reducing concussions is limited. Athletes who wear mouth guards in sports where use is not required seem to have a lower rate of concussions than athletes who don't wear mouth guards, but more research is needed to better understand this. Custom mouth guards don't seem to be more effective than standard "boil-and-bite" mouth guards, so just make sure your athlete's mouth guard fits them well and they wear it properly.

What are the signs of a concussion in young athletes?

Athletes should stop playing sports and seek medical advice if a concussion is suspected. Common signs and symptoms of a concussion include:

 

• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Balance problems/dizziness
• Fatigue or drowsiness
• Sleeping less than usual
• Sleeping more than usual
• Trouble falling asleep
• Blurry or double vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to noise
• Feeling of being in a "fog"
• Trouble concentrating
• Trouble remembering
• Feeling irritable
• Feeling sad

It's important to remember that Colorado Senate Bill 40 mandates that if a concussion is suspected, the athlete must be removed from practice or play and cannot return that same day. Before returning to play, the athlete must be evaluated by a healthcare provider and receive written clearance allowing them to return to play.

How do you know if an injury is more severe than a concussion?

After any head injury and prior to return to sports and other high-risk activity, an athlete should be evaluated to determine if they have had a concussion. It is also crucial to monitor for signs of a more severe brain injury, which may be indicated by the following "red flags":

 

• Increasing drowsiness
• Vomiting
• Increasing headache
• Seizure-like activity
• Difficulty in arousing
• Numbness/tingling of arms or legs
• Weakness of arms or legs
• Any unusual behavior

If any of the above symptoms are present, the athlete needs to be taken to the nearest emergency department or urgent care facility for immediate evaluation.

Does an athlete need to be knocked out to sustain a concussion?

An athlete does not need to be knocked out or lose consciousness to have a concussion. In fact, less than 10% of sport-related concussions involve loss of consciousness.

If no one is sure an athlete had a concussion, can they return to play and finish out the game?

Colorado Senate Bill 40 mandates that if a concussion is suspected, the athlete must be removed from practice or play and cannot return that same day. Before returning to play, the athlete must be evaluated by a healthcare provider and receive written clearance allowing them to return to play.

Following a concussion, does an athlete need a complete brain rest both from physical activity and cognitive activity?

In the first few days following a concussion, it can be helpful to reduce physical and mental activity, but there is no good evidence that reading, watching TV or texting will prolong concussion symptoms. There's also no compelling research to indicate that complete rest is an effective long-term treatment following a concussion.

 

Resuming a typical daily routine is helpful and important as your child feels better, but your child should not return to sports and other high-risk physical activities until they are fully recovered and have clearance from your healthcare provider.

Should an athlete wait until they are free from all concussion symptoms to go back to school?

Many students never miss any school, or only miss a day or two following a concussion. As symptoms improve, most students can return to school and may benefit from temporary support at school while recovering.

 

Keeping a child out of school for a long time often causes unintended academic, social and emotional problems. Your healthcare provider can assist in developing a school plan if concussion symptoms are significant or take longer than usual to resolve.

How long does it take to recover from a concussion?

Considerable research has now shown that most athletes who sustain a single sports-related concussion recover within a few days to a few weeks after injury. Youth athletes may take slightly longer to recover than college and adult athletes, but still generally recover well.

 

Having a prior concussion increases the risk of sustaining future concussions and may impact the length of recovery, although more research is needed in this area. Therefore, return to sport after multiple concussions in any athlete needs to be weighed carefully. There is no specific number of concussions that is considered "too many concussions" to return to sport. Each case should be considered individually.

Do concussions cause suicide?

The cause of suicide is complex. No good scientific evidence supports a direct relationship between a history of concussion and suicide. After a concussion (and many other injuries), children can experience increased stress and may demonstrate symptoms of depression and anxiety.

 

For example, stress can occur when children are not in sports, not spending time with friends, and when they are falling behind in school. When emotional concerns persist after an injury, prompt behavioral health counseling is appropriate and often is helpful after even a few sessions. Learn about the emotional effects of a concussion.

What is the Concussion Program's point of view on the movie Concussion?

This movie brings to light that some athletes who have participated in contact/collision sports are struggling with changes in thinking, behavior or mood. However, it doesn't describe the current state of medicine and science in understanding why these changes occur. The underlying cause of these problems is not fully understood, and we need much more research in this area to understand the cause of these problems. Anyone (child or adult) who is concerned about changes in thinking, behavior or mood after concussions or participation in contact or collision sports should have a neuropsychological or medical evaluation to help determine the potential causes and receive appropriate treatment.

Does Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) affect children?

CTE is scientifically controversial. Questions remain about what causes it, what effect it might have on thinking and behavior, and even whether it exists as a distinct disease or may be part of another disease process. At this point, there is no good evidence that suggests that CTE affects children. The best science also indicates that there are many benefits to participation in youth sports. Anyone (child or adult) who is concerned about CTE or any changes in thinking, behavior or mood after concussions or participation in contact or collision sports should have a neuropsychological or medical evaluation to help determine the potential causes and receive appropriate treatment.

How common are deaths from sport-related head injury in kids?

Deaths from sports-related head injuries are extremely rare in kids. Sadly, catastrophic brain injuries do happen in sports, but only a handful occur each year, and there are millions of children and adolescents participating in organized sports. These severe brain injuries actually occur more commonly from everyday activities, like riding in a car or riding a bike, than from playing sports.