At AFC Bridgeport we are staying ahead of the game to you by bringing you the latest guidelines on sports related concussions and head trauma, and on how you can help keep your children safe when playing high impact contact sports.
Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injury: Protect Your Kids
Connecticut is one of the first states to enact new laws requiring all those working with athletes (coaches, trainers, phys-ed teachers) and anyone working with students in school sports or professional athletes and leagues to under-go training on diagnosing, treating and educating themselves and their athletes on concussions and head trauma caused by severe blows to the head.
Concussion symptoms; or what you and your child’s physician should look for if your child receives a head injury
The physician should take a history of the event and find out the following:
- loss of consciousness
- the location (on the head) of the head injury
- nausea or vomiting
- amnesia, either retrograde or anterograde
The Concussion exam should also include a neurological exam, check for loss of coordination, watch for difficulty in answering simple factual questions as well as observing for confusion, fatigue or lethargy.
These symptoms should be watched over the next few days as well. Any signs such as increased confusion, excessive sleep patterns or continued lethargy are signs that your athlete may have suffered a concussion.
The good news is that the majority of head blows do not result in concussion. If, after an exam, the results seem normal the accepted protocol is to take a few days off and then resume their activity.
If your child or loved one has received a blow to the head and you are unsure of whether this is a concussion or not, please feel free to come in and let one of our doctors conduct an exam. You can walk in, no appointment or referral necessary. We are open 7 days per week for your convenience!
