Comments like, "he just had his clock cleaned" or "just had his bell rung" may be common sideline talk during a youth sporting event. Spectators are referring to a player taking a hard hit in the head. In the past, that may have led to a player sitting on the sideline for a few minutes before heading back into the game. Recent research of youth concussions, now called traumatic brain injury (TBI), shows that effects from a hard hit to the head may last weeks or months. After one concussion, youth athletes are twice as likely to suffer another. It is up to coaches, parents, and players themselves to know the signs of a head injury and how to protect against concussions.
Symptoms of a concussion may appear right away, or might take days or weeks to show up. Those signs could include:
- headache
- nausea
- confusion
- dizziness
- sensitivity to light and noise
- sleep problems
- clumsiness
- slowness in answering questions or following commands
- blurry vision
Since a concussion cannot be seen, it is important to listen to the player describe symptoms. Youth players often do not lose consciousness with a concussion. Many times there is no memory loss. If there is any question of a concussion, the player should be removed from the activity and evaluated by a health-care professional.
According to the Children's Hospital and Health System, symptoms of concussion can interfere with school, social activities and family relationships. Children and adolescents take longer to recover from a traumatic brain injury. Players who return to activity too soon, risk an injury that can result in permanent brain damage and death.
Many high schools are using computer software to pre-test student athletes' cognitive skills. If the player takes a hard blow to the head during the season, the results of the baseline can help coaches and parents determine when the athlete can return to play. One such program, imPACT, is a 20 minute test available in 13 languages. It can be administered by the school nurse, athletic trainer, coach, or anyone trained to administer baseline testing.
The Centers for Disease Control offers Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports, a free online training program for coaches and parents. Available in English and Spanish, the course teaches people involved in youth sports how to prevent concussions, what to do if a concussion is suspected and steps to take in getting the player back to activities. Participants can print a completion certificate at the end of the course to share with a league or school.
By managing a traumatic brain injury properly when it first occurs, parents and coaches can minimize the long term effects and keep young athletes safe.
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