Brain Injury Basics for Parents: Recognizing Signs of a Concussion in Their Children

As a parent, you probably have witnessed your child fall down and suffer a bump to the head. While the human head can typically take a minor bump to the noggin, sometimes falls, sports and motor vehicle accidents can cause the head more damage — even unseen damage — which can lead to a brain injury. For example, many children suffer brain injuries in bicycle and car accidents.

Although not every brain injury is a life-altering injury, some minor injuries to the head might not be so minor after all. Did you know that anytime the human head sustains a hit, blow, jolt, or bump, it can cause the brain to move rapidly back and forth? When this occurs, the brain can stretch, twist and bounce around in the skull — causing brain cell damage and chemical changes in the brain. Even concussions can cause brain damage.

Although concussions aren’t life-threatening injuries, they are considered a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI). While concussions are often referred to as mild brain injuries, they can still be serious — especially to children. This is why parents need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of concussions and make sure their children seek medical treatment if in doubt.

Because many people don’t assume concussions are serious, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a new website aimed at teaching parents and kids how to recognize and respond to concussions and other brain injuries.

Some dangerous signs of a concussion, according to the CDC includes:

• A headaches that gets worse or doesn’t go away
• Tiredness
• Loss of consciousness
• One pupil larger than the other
• Slurred speech
• Weakness and numbness
• Coordination issues
• Restless and agitated behaviors
• Nausea and vomiting
• Convulsions or seizures

When a child has a headache and appears dazed, slow, clumsy, confused, can’t remember something that occurred prior to an accident, or exhibits unusual behavior, your child may have suffered a concussion or a more serious brain injury. Sometimes these signs take a while to show up, so it’s important to check with your child within an hour of the incident, the first night, and days after the injury to see if he or she is experiencing any of these symptoms.

It’s always best to have your child thoroughly examined by a doctor after any type of motor vehicle accident, as timely medical attention is important in treating a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury.

If your son or daughter was injured by someone else’s negligence on the road, you need to seek legal advice to learn about your rights to a personal injury claim in Florida. Contact the Law Offices of David Benenfeld at 866-9 HELP NOW or (954) 677-0155(954) 677-0155 for a free consultation today.