When Is Sports Head Injury an Emergency?
As Texans, we love our sports. We love to cheer on our favorite teams, but we also love playing them ourselves.
We typically see or hear about professional athletes suffering from sports head injuries. Sadly, these types of injuries are not confined to professional athletes. Sports head injuries can happen to anyone – and this includes our superstars who play contact sports at school.
According to the Journal of Neurosurgery, there are about 60,000 hospitalizations and about 500,000 emergency room visits per year due to traumatic brain injuries in kids.
Traumatic brain injuries
Any injury that happens on your brain, skull, or scalp is considered a head injury. It can be something as simple as a bruise or bump on your head to something life-threatening like a skull fracture.
Traumatic brain injuries are more severe, and it occurs when a person receives a blow to the head or when an object pierces the brain tissue.
Traumatic brain injuries can cause lifelong mental or physical disabilities, disruption in normal brain function, or even death.
Concussions in young athletes
Concussions are one of the most common sports injuries and is a serious risk to young athletes. Hence, it is especially important to educate young athletes, coaches, and parents on how to recognize its signs and symptoms.
If your child gets injured and they are not aware of the signs, they might keep on playing, and this can put them at risk of serious injury.
Signs and symptoms of concussion
- Pressure in the head or a headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sensitivity to noise
- Sensitivity to light
- Confusion
- Concentration problems
- Feeling down
Parents and coaches should watch out for the following signs:
- The child is confused or appears dazed
- Answers questions slowly
- Forgets an instruction
- Shows behavior changes
- Loses consciousness
- Cannot recall events before or after the fall or hit
- Moves clumsily
If your child manifests any of the symptoms outlined above, seek immediate medical attention.
When to go to the emergency room
Be sure to take your child for evaluation if he or she manifests the following:
- Have problems walking or balancing
- The bleeding persists
- Has a seizure
- Appears confused or lost consciousness
- Is vomiting or is nauseated
If you notice the following, bring them to the emergency room for immediate medical care:
- Mood swings
- Trouble concentrating
- Have a persistent headache
- Have difficulty waking up or falling asleep
- Feel dizziness, numbness
- Have changes in their eyesight
- Have difficulties in writing, reading, or a slur in their speech is present
If your child suffered from a head injury, the best thing to do is to bring them to your nearest emergency room in Cibolo immediately. All Physicians Premier facilities are open 24/7, and you can rest assured that our caring, efficient medical team is here for you and your family when you need us the most.
Sources:
“Head Injury,” Science Direct, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/head-injury
“Traumatic Brain Injury & Concussion,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/index.html
“Ten Concussion Pearls,” Physicians Premier, https://mdpremier.com/what-is-a-concussion/
“Head Injury,” Emergency Physicians, https://www.emergencyphysicians.org/article/know-when-to-go/head-injury
