Concussions in High School Sports

Concussions

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What is it?

A concussion is a head injury caused by an impact that causes the brain to hit the surface of the human skull causing a bruising to the brain.  It is also known as “getting your bell rung”.  A concussion is an invisible injury that is only found through the reactions and symptoms of a concussion.


What can it do?

A concussion can cause many different problems in someone’s life.  It has many correlations with Alzheimer’s disease, Dimentia, and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.  These are bad cases of brain diseases that rarely show up after a concussion, but still has the risk to show up anyways.


How to prevent

-Ensure correct use of the equipment
-Make sure that the athlete follows safety procedures
-Encourage good sportsmanship at ALL times
-Limit the influence by hard, unnecessary hits exposed on T.V.


Post-Concussion Syndrome

A post concussion syndrome is a set of symptoms that an athlete has to endure for days, weeks, and even months!


Symptoms

-Headache
-Sensitivity to light
-Sensitivity to sound
-Irritability
-Vomiting
-Slurred/Incoherent speech
-Nausea


What to do when suspecting a concussion

Avoid putting the athlete in play during games.  Brains need time to heal, it’s a basic procedure.  Do not stress the athlete’s head through collisions because if it’s not cleared by a healthcare professional, the chances of receiving a repeated concussion greatly increases.


Medical Attention

If there are any symptoms that are stated above by the athlete after a collision that’s involving the head, make sure you seek medical attention as soon as possible to receive treatment.
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Notify School Staff

Letting coaches and school nurses know will help the athlete with his/her concussion while studying or doing any other school related activities.
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Remember

Studying, driving, playing video games, and doing any other thing that can stress your eyes, and even your whole body through exercise, can greatly increase the chances of the symptoms to come back.  It also has a high chance of being worst than before.