Common Signs of Sports Concussions in Adolescents | DC Metro Area Medical Malpractice Law Blog

As a parent of a child involved in one or more sports activities, would you know how to detect a possible concussion?

Understand the signs and symptoms of this potentially serious head injury to keep your kids safe and healthy.

After a forceful jolt, bump, or blow that causes trauma to his or her head, a child athlete may begin exhibiting changes in their thinking, behavior, or physical functions. Ignoring such signs and symptoms can exacerbate a concussion and put the athlete at risk for further injury.

How to Detect a Potential Athletic Concussion

Several signs may indicate a child has sustained a sports concussion. These symptoms include:

•    Sudden nausea or vomiting

•    Sluggishness or a sense of “haziness” or fogginess

•    Forgetfulness related to instructions or events before or after the trauma

•    Loss of consciousness

•    Clumsy movement

•    Slow, labored speech

Should one or more of these indicators manifest in a child after a head injury, immediately remove him or her from play and seek medical treatment.How Treatment Guidelines Differ between Children and Adults

Quick and thorough examination following a head injury is the best way to prevent lasting damage. Furthermore, new treatment guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics present differences in how adolescents heal from concussions compared to adults.

According to these guidelines, children under 18 years of age require an average of 7 to 10 days to recover fully from a concussion, a longer timeframe than that of the typical adult. As a result, adolescents with signs of concussion should stop engaging in activity immediately and not resume until whatever comes first – 24 hours without symptoms or a doctor’s permission.

Sports injuries may be common in young athletes, but with prompt and careful treatment, children can recover fully and return to their favorite activities.

Have the actions of another individual contributed to your child’s injury while playing sports? To learn whether you have a viable legal case, contact a Washington D.C. child safety lawyer.