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MEDICAL: INJURIES: CONCUSSIONS :
SPORTS MEDICINE:
Concussion
Concussion
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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<http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/>
Fast Facts
A concussion is a brain injury and all are serious.
Most concussions occur without loss of consciousness.
Recognition and proper response to concussions when they first occur can
help prevent further injury or even death.
What is a Concussion?
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by a
bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain
normally works. Concussions can also occur from a blow to the body that
causes the head to move rapidly back and forth. Even a ding, getting your
bell rung, or what seems to be mild bump or blow to the head can be
serious.
Concussions can occur in any sport or recreation activity. So, all
coaches, parents, and athletes need to learn concussion signs and symptoms
and what to do if a concussion occurs.
How do I recognize a possible concussion?
To help recognize a concussion, you should watch for the following two
things among your athletes:
A forceful bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body that results in rapid
movement of the head.
AND
Any change in the athletes behavior, thinking, or physical functioning.
Athletes who experience any of the signs and symptoms listed below after a
bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body should be kept out of play the day
of the injury and until a health care professional, experienced in
evaluating for concussion, says they are symptom-free and its OK to return
to play.
Signs Observed by Coaching Staff
Appears dazed or stunned
Is confused about assignment or position
Forgets an instruction
Is unsure of game, score, or opponent
Moves clumsily
Answers questions slowly
Loses consciousness (even briefly)
Shows mood, behavior, or personality changes
Cant recall events prior to hit or fall
Cant recall events after hit or fall
Symptoms Reported by Athlete
Headache or pressure in head
Nausea or vomiting
Balance problems or dizziness
Double or blurry vision
Sensitivity to light
Sensitivity to noise
Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy
Concentration or memory problems
Confusion
Does not feel right or is feeling down
Remember, you cant see a concussion and some athletes may not experience
and/or report symptoms until hours or days after the injury. Most people
with a concussion will recover quickly and fully. But for some people,
signs and symptoms of concussion can last for days, weeks, or longer.
What should I do if a concussion occurs?
If you suspect that an athlete has a concussion, implement your 4-step
action plan:
Remove the athlete from play. Look for signs and symptoms of a concussion
if your athlete has experienced a bump or blow to the head or body. When
in doubt, keep the athlete out of play.
Ensure that the athlete is evaluated by a health care professional
experienced in evaluating for concussion. Do not try to judge the severity
of the injury yourself. Health care professionals have a number of methods
that they can use to assess the severity of concussions. As a coach,
recording the following information can help health care professionals in
assessing the athlete after the injury:
Cause of the injury and force of the hit or blow to the head or body
Any loss of consciousness (passed out/knocked out) and if so, for how long
Any memory loss immediately following the injury
Any seizures immediately following the injury
Number of previous concussions (if any)
Inform the athletes parents or guardians about the possible concussion and
give them the fact sheet on concussion. Make sure they know that the
athlete should be seen by a health care professional experienced in
evaluating for concussion.
Keep the athlete out of play the day of the injury and until a health care
professional, experienced in evaluating for concussion, says they are
symptom-free and its OK to return to play. A repeat concussion that occurs
before the brain recovers from the firstusually within a short period of
time (hours, days, or weeks)can slow recovery or increase the likelihood
of having long-term problems. In rare cases, repeat concussions can result
in edema (brain swelling), permanent brain damage, and even death.
What can I do to prevent concussions?
As a coach or parent, you play a key role in preventing concussions and
responding properly when they occur. Here are some steps you can take to
help prevent concussions and ensure the best outcome for your athletes,
the team, league or school.
Preseason
Check with your league, school, or district about concussion policies.
Concussion policy statements can be developed to include a commitment to
safety, a brief description about concussion, and information on when
athletes can safely return to play (i.e. an athlete should be kept out of
play the day of the injury and until a health care professional,
experienced in evaluating for concussion, says they are symptom-free and
its OK to return to play). Parents and athletes should sign the concussion
policy statement at the beginning of each sports season.
Involve and get support from other parents and/or league or school
officials to help ensure that the concussion policy is in place before the
first practice.
Create a concussion action plan. To ensure that concussions are identified
early and managed correctly, have an action plan in place before the
season starts. This plan can be included in your school or districts
concussion policy.
Educate athletes and other parents or coaches about concussion. Before the
first practice, talk to athletes and parents, and other coaches and school
officials about the dangers of concussion and potential long-term
consequences of concussion. Explain your concerns about concussion and
your expectations of safe play. Show the videos and pass out the
concussion fact sheets for athletes and for parents at the beginning of
the season and again if a concussion occurs. Remind athletes to tell
coaching staff right away if they suspect they have a concussion or that a
teammate has a concussion.
Monitor the health of your athletes. Make sure to ask if an athlete has
ever had a concussion and insist that your athletes are medically
evaluated and are in good condition to participate. Some schools and
leagues conduct preseason baseline testing (also known as neurocognitive
tests) to assess brain functionlearning and memory skills, ability to pay
attention or concentrate, and how quickly someone can think and solve
problems. These tests can be used again during the season if an athlete
has a concussion to help identify the effects of the injury. Prior to the
first practice, determine whether your school or league would consider
conducting baseline testing.
During the Season: Practices and Games
Insist that safety comes first.
Teach and practice safe playing techniques.
Encourage athletes to follow the rules of play and to practice good
sportsmanship at all times.
Make sure athletes wear the right protective equipment for their activity
(such as helmets, padding, shin guards, and eye and mouth guards).
Protective equipment should fit properly, be well maintained, and be worn
consistently and correctly.
Teach athletes its not smart to play with a concussion. Rest is key after
a concussion. Sometimes athletes, parents, and other school or league
officials wrongly believe that it shows strength and courage to play
injured. Discourage others from pressuring injured athletes to play. Dont
let your athlete convince you that theyre just fine.
Prevent long-term problems.
If an athlete has a concussion, their brain needs time to heal. Dont let
them return to play the day of the injury and until a health care
professional, experienced in evaluating for concussion, says they are
symptom-free and its OK to return to play. A repeat concussion that occurs
before the brain recovers from the firstusually within a short time period
(hours, days, weeks)can slow recovery or increase the chances for
long-term problems.
Work closely with league or school officials. Be sure that appropriate
individuals are available for injury assessment and referrals for further
medical care. Enlist health care professionals (including school nurses)
to monitor any changes in the athletes behavior that could indicate that
they have a concussion. Ask athletes or parents to report concussions that
occurred during any sport or recreation activity. This will help in
monitoring injured athletes who participate in multiple sports throughout
the year.
Postseason
Keep track of concussion. Coaches should work with other school or league
officials to review injuries that occurred during the season. Discuss with
others any needs for better concussion prevention or response
preparations.
Review your concussion policy and action plan. Discuss any need for
improvements in your concussion policy or action plan with appropriate
health care professionals and school and league officials.
Where can I find additional resources?
Concussion in Sports
Where Can I Find Additional Resources?
Get More Information on TBI in the United States
Statistics
Causes
Outcomes
Prevention
Download Concussion Educational materials
For youth sports coaches, administrators, and parents
For high school coaches, athletic directors, athletic trainers, and
parents
For health care professionals
Ordering Free Copies of the Educational Materials
Order Form for Sports
Order Form for Health Care Providers
For Bulk Orders, contact CDC-INFO (include subject heading: Concussion in
Sports)
Watch a Video
NFL PSA on Concussion Safety
Keeping Quiet Can Keep You Out of the Game (2:00 minutes)
Read more about Tracys Story [PDF 187KB]
Keeping Quiet Can Keep You Out of the GameA Mother's Story (2:00 minutes)
Listen to a Radio PSA
Coach and Team (:30 seconds)
Mom and Daughter (:30 seconds)
Teens (:30 seconds)
Announcers (:30 seconds)
Send a Health eCard
Heads Up!
Prevent Concussions
Prevent Head Injuries
Sports Safety
Students Play Safe
Youth Sports Safety
Listen to a Podcast
Heads Up! Play It Safe When It Comes to Concussions! (6:49 minutes)
Heads Up! (0:59 minutes); in Spanish (1:27 minutes)
Heads Up! Concussion Information for Physicians (6:43 minutes)
Promotional Materials
"Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports" flyer [PDF 104KB]
Web Button
Web Banner
Slideshow [PDF 775KB]
Ordering Card [PDF 185KB]
Logo [PDF 50KB]
Flash Web Banner 1, Banner 2, Banner 3
Download a Fact Sheet on Overall Sports Safety: Protect the Ones You Love
For parents
=======================================
Comment: This website was listed during the Thursday Night NFL Football
Game on the Screen during a Public Service Announcement sponsored by the
National Football League regarding the need to take concussions seriously
and part of the changed approach to concussions by the NFL.
In a sad development, a moment of silence was observed for a twenty-six
year old wide receiver of the Cincinatti Bengals who died yesterday,
Thursday December 17, 2009
NFL: Chris Henry dies
By Dan Ferdinand on Dec 18, 09 10:23 AM in NFL
Miror
Opinion
<http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/fourth-down/2009/12/nfl-chris-henry-dies.html>
Sad news coming from the States this morning, The Cincinnati Bengals
announced that wide receiver Chris Henry died on Thursday morning.
Henry was involved in a accident on Wednesday, when it has been reported
that Henry fell off the back of a pickup truck.
Chris Henry, Cincinnati Bengals star, 'aggravated' by wedding plans two
days before death
By Soraya Roberts
Friday, December 18th 2009, 9:40 AM
New York Daily News
<http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/12/18/
2009-12-18_chris_henry_cincinnati_bengals_star_
aggravated_by_wedding_plans_day_before_death.html#ixzz0a5JKYTOL>
A shorter URL for the above link:
<http://tinyurl.com/yejc8uu>
Chris Henry's impending marriage may have contributed to the "domestic
dispute" Wednesday that ended with his death a day later.
The day before his death, the 26-year-old Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
and his fianc met with a wedding planner, who says Henry was "annoyed" and
"aggravated" by the cost of his nuptials, TMZ reports.
On Tuesday night, the couple were discussing photography pricing in the
planner's office in North Carolina. The company's rep told TMZ that Henry
got upset over the bill and, "with an attitude," asked his fianc, "How
much we paying for all this?"
According to TMZ, the couple "bickered" and then Henry walked out of the
store, leaving Tonga to ultimately decide, fill out the paperwork and pay
the deposit.
Henry died Thursday from injuries he sustained when he was thrown off a
moving pickup truck during a fight with his fiance.
---------------------------------------
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