Player Safety Concussions
Concussions
A concussion is a type of head injury. It happens when the brain moves quickly inside the skull because of a bump, jolt, or hit to the head.
When a concussion happens:
•The injury to the brain is usually only for a short time (temporary).
•Your child may think, act, or feel differently for a short time.
•Watch over your child carefully for the next 4 to 8 hours.
If you think your child has a concussion, do at least one of the following:
― Call your child’s doctor or health care provider for instructions.
― Go to an urgent care clinic or emergency department.
Signs and Symptoms
Concussion symptoms can be mild or severe. They can also come and go. They may last minutes to weeks, but they should all go away with time.
Physical
• Headache or pressure in the head
• Neck pain
• Nausea or throwing up (vomiting)
• Balance problems
• Sensitivity to light
• Dizziness
• Sensitivity to noise
• Blurred vision
Thinking (cognitive)
• Confused
• Problems remembering
• Feeling like you’re in a fog
• Not feeling normal
• Short attention span
• Feeling slowed down
Emotional
• Irritable, moody, fussy
• Sad
• More emotional than usual
• Nervous or anxious
Sleep
• Drowsy
• Low energy
• Sleeping more or less than usual
• Trouble falling asleep
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides informational materials about concussions for athletes, parents, coaches, and teachers, including a free Heads Up! tool kit.
Visit CDC.gov/headsup/index.