Has your child suffered a head injury? Or fell on his head while playing? Do you fear the possibility of a concussion? Get acquainted with us through the following article about symptoms Concussion in children What you should pay close attention to, what to do then, and methods of treatment and prevention:

What is a concussion?

A concussion is a type of brain injury that occurs as a result of a sudden acceleration of the brain. A concussion usually occurs as a result of a direct hit to the head, but it can also occur as a result of any blow to the neck, face or body that causes the head and brain to rotate with great force.

The most famous cases of concussion usually happen to athletes, but this case can happen to many, including children. Studies have shown that millions of children are exposed to a concussion annually, but most of them fully recover after several weeks.

Symptoms of concussion in children

The child may suffer a severe injury or a blow to the head, but most children or adolescents do not usually inform their parents if there is any problem, so parents must pay attention to the appearance of any of the symptoms indicating a concussion in children, including the following:

Common symptoms:

Common symptoms of a concussion in children include:

• Move in an abnormal way.
• Answer questions slowly.
• Loss of consciousness momentarily.
• Change in behavior and mood.
• Inability to remember events before or after the injury.
• Headache or a feeling of pressure in the head.
• Nausea.
• vomiting.
• Balance problems.
• Blurry vision.
• Change in sleeping habits.
• Confusion and inability to focus.

Most of the aforementioned symptoms usually appear immediately after the injury, but in some cases they may not appear until several days after the infection.

More serious symptoms:

In the event that any of the symptoms that will be mentioned below appear, you must contact the doctor immediately or go to the nearest emergency room, and serious symptoms include the following:

• A headache that gets worse or doesn’t go away at all.
• Feeling weak or numb.
• Nausea and vomiting frequently.
• stuttering.
• When the child appears drowsy for a long time and is unable to wake him up.
• Dilated or increased size of the pupil (the black part in the middle of the eye) in one eye compared to the other.
• Exposure to convulsive seizures.
• Inability to distinguish places or people.
• Increased confusion or irritability.
• Unusual behaviour.
• Loss of consciousness for a long time.

Symptoms of concussion in infants

Infants cannot tell the mother or father if there is a problem, so if a concussion is suspected, and in addition to the aforementioned symptoms, the mother or father should pay attention to the following symptoms in the infant:

• Inability or unwillingness to breastfeed or eat.
• Crying constantly, and not being able to calm the infant.
• Loss of any interest in his favorite games.
• Loss of any new abilities he recently learned.

What to do when your child has a concussion

In the event that a child is playing and an injury or blow to the head occurs, the following steps must be taken:

• The child immediately stopped playing and watched.
• In the event that the concussion is not confirmed, it is also preferable to stop the child from playing and return to the activity that caused the injury.
• Contact the doctor immediately if any of the aforementioned symptoms appear, at any time, whether immediately after the injury or after several hours or even several days.

How is a concussion diagnosed in children?

The pediatrician will obtain an accurate description of what happened to the child, in addition to the child’s medical history. He will also ask about the possibility of the child having suffered several blows to the brain or body, and whether he lost consciousness and when he regained consciousness again.

Other questions may focus on a possible history of ADHD, and any difficulties with learning, sleep or mood. All this information will help him develop an appropriate treatment plan for the child’s condition.

Usually the child will not need to undergo any imaging tests such as, CT scan or MRI of the head, but this usually depends on the condition of the child, but the doctor tries as much as possible to avoid exposing the child to radiation resulting from these tests.

It is important for parents to know that a concussion means a problem with how the brain works, and does not mean that there is damage to the structure of the brain. This means that a child can undergo imaging tests, and the result is normal, but despite this he is exposed to symptoms of a concussion, so he must pay close attention.

Treatment of concussion in children

How a concussion heals differently from one child to another, so it is important for parents to find the right balance to increase the effectiveness of treatment. Here are the most important things you can do:

• Reduce physical activities that require a lot of focus for a while.
• The child should rest for a day or two after the injury, and he can try quiet activities such as talking to the family or drawing, but if these activities interfere with the symptoms, he should stop and try again after a little time.
• Avoid or reduce the time of watching TV, electronic games, or using a mobile phone, to avoid exacerbating symptoms.
• Avoid driving, in the case of teens.
• Avoid all kinds of sports and activities that could lead to any other head injuries.
• Help the child get plenty of sleep.
• Avoid listening to loud music, especially before bed.
• Avoid drinking any beverages containing caffeine.
• Take naps during the day, as often as necessary.
• A child can be given acetaminophen or ibuprofen for headaches in the first days after the injury, but the doctor’s approval must be obtained first.

How can the school help with the treatment plan?

It is possible to talk with the school administration about the child’s condition, and here are some ways in which the school can help in the treatment journey:

• Provide some breaks for the child during or between lessons.
• Allow the child a short school day.
• Give more time to carry out the required duties.
• Postpone tests for the affected child.
• Provide a quiet area if the child is sensitive to noise.

After the symptoms become less severe, some activities can be returned, but gradually and the child is monitored, and after they completely disappear, he can return to activities normally, but with regard to sports, he should not return to them except after consulting the doctor to authorize this.

Duration of recovery from concussion in children

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most children feel better after a concussion, within two weeks after the injury, but there are some cases in which the symptoms of a concussion in children may last for several months or longer.

According to the results of some studies, nearly a quarter of children continue to suffer from headaches a month after the injury, and about a fifth of them suffer from fatigue, and the rest have difficulty thinking, compared to before the injury.

It is worth noting that some children, unfortunately, can suffer from what is known as post-concussion syndrome, and this causes a long duration of symptoms, and this happens especially for children who have had concussions more than once.

How can concussion be prevented in children?

The risk of a concussion increases in the event of a previous concussion, as scientific evidence indicates that repeated bouts of concussion can cause permanent brain damage, even if the injuries occurred at different times apart from each other, so it is very important to know how to prevent a concussion In children, here are the most prominent ways to achieve this:

• Ensure that the child wears protection and prevention tools when playing any sports that require contact or makes him vulnerable to head injuries, such as a helmet.
• In the case of infants, the house must be fortified and the places where the child can injure his head must be secured, and a safe space should be provided to play and move freely without any obstacles.
• Installing a suitable seat for the child in the case of a car.
• Make sure to teach the child the need to tell you if he suffers any head injury or if he experiences any symptoms that you did not notice.