Kids should wear protective gear to avoid concussions
Our series of ‘head injury’ posts are mainly written for parents worried about their kids. But since most of the information holds for head injuries in all age groups, be sure to go over our last two posts to catch up even if you don’t have a kid suffering from a head injury.
Last week we discussed internal head injuries and how to treat them. In today’s post, we will be taking a look at a specific type of internal head injury called ‘Concussion’.
CONCUSSION
A concussion is sustained by damage to the skull and can temporarily cause loss of normal brain function. Concussions can be either mild or serious, and repeated concussions can cause permanent damage. And since symptoms of even mild concussion overlap with those of much serious conditions, it is important to seek medical treatment.
Symptoms
Concussion symptoms include:
• Lightheadedness or a dizzy/dazed/drowsy feeling
• Loss of memory (particularly of what happened right before and/or after the injury)
• Vomiting
• Headaches
• Slurred or incoherent speech
• Difficulty in thinking, deciding or concentrating
• Difficulty in performing simple balancing/coordinating tasks
• Feeling irate or worried
Cause
The number one reason for concussions in children is sports. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should try to stop your kid from venturing into the playground altogether: the benefits of sports outweigh any possible side-effects. What you can do is take precautions to protect your child from a serious concussion.
Protective measures
It is impossible to grow up without falling or getting hurt some time. But you can definitely play a role in reducing the amount of injuries that your kid sustains in the playground or around the house:
• If you have small kids, you should have your entire house childproofed (look up ‘childproofing’ for do-it-yourself tips or professional services)
• Make sure your child always wears the right head gear and/or safety equipment when he’s participating in activities like biking, skating, skate or snow boarding, skiing and contact sports. Statistics show that just wearing a helmet reduces biking related injuries by more than 80%!
• Strictly have your kids wear a safety belt in the car
• Don’t let your kid go immediately back to sports or rough play after an injury. Always wait for the doctor’s ‘OK’.
• Try your best to prevent further injury while your child is still recovering from the first one. Healing could become slower and difficult upon re-injury.
If your child has sustained a head injury or concussion, visit your local MedHelp clinic for instant treatment and advice.
