Time-Out Needed For Suspected Concussions

Concussions often are sports-related, but they are not always the result of a blow to the head and do not frequently knock a person unconscious.

A concussion - a type of brain injury that causes brief, transient symptoms - also can occur if a child receives a strong jolt to the chest and there is abrupt movement of the head. Common signs are confusion and an inability to concentrate, follow instructions or process information. Your child may have a severe headache or nausea and behave differently.

"If your child has a concussion, he or she needs to be evaluated by a physician that day to determine if there are any problems around the brain that require emergency tre-atment," says Dr. Joe Chorley, a sports medicine specialist at Texas Children's Hospital.

"Get your child to the emergency center immediately if there is persistent vomiting, amnesia, weakness, numbness, neck pain or disorientation," he says.

Athletes experiencing neurological symptoms should never return to a game. A second concussion can cause the brain to swell, resulting in death or permanent brain damage.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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