Injuries like concussions can happen at any place at any time, not just in high-contact sports like rugby league and union. They can happen on the netball court, the cricket pitch or the soccer field. On the playground or while riding a bike.
Concussion in kids is a real injury with potential for long-term impact so proper concussion management is vital.
Fear of concussion in your child should not prevent them from playing sport, or engaging in physical activity, the benefits of sport for children outweigh the potential risks.
Research shows that if the injury is managed appropriately, most kids recover from a concussion without any additional or serious consequences.
Signs of concussion in kids
Be aware of the signs and symptoms of a concussion.
Is concussion different for boys and girls?
This is a hard question to answer. There is a huge research gap between the amount of studies on men and boys compared to women and girls. Most sport and injury research is done on men and this is covered in Caroline Criado Perez’s book, Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men and in Loving Sports When They Don’t Love You Back by Jessica Luther and Kavitha A. Davidson. What this means is, we just don’t have enough information about the effects of concussion on women and girls compared to boys and men. Work is underway to fill this gap.
On top of this, women’s and girls’ sports have less funding and access to sideline sideline medical personnel and post-concussion care. As this study into factors affecting recovery in concussion shows, girls take longer to recover only because it took them longer to see a healthcare professional after their injury. When girls were seen in the same time frame after injury as boys, there were no differences in recovery.
It is thought that hormonal fluctuations and differences in neck strength might make girls more susceptible to concussions but more research is needed in these areas.
Returning to school after a concussion
Concussion affects the way the brain functions. Different people can be affected in different ways.
“Return to Learn” is a step-by-step progression of helping your child get back into the classroom after a concussion. This process plays an important role in appropriate recovery.
It is common for concussed children or adolescents to have difficulty concentrating and paying attention in class. They may require more time to complete school work.
When a concussed child or adolescent starts to concentrate for long periods, the ‘load’ on the brain can bring on or worsen the symptoms of concussion. Gradually increasing the load on the brain without provoking symptoms is recommended.
During recovery from concussion, it is recommended that students avoid:
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physical activity: PE classes, school sport, and playground activity
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extensive screen time: including computer use, texting, video games, television
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loud music and music through headphones.
Ways to help students in the classroom recover from concussion include:
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regular breaks from class
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shortened school day
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postponing exams
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additional time to complete exams and assessments
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additional time to complete tasks in class.
Information for parents and teachers on the concussion in sport website is very comprehensive.
Effective communication between an experienced health professional, like a chiropractor, and teachers is important to help this process happen smoothly for your child.
Returning your child to sport after a concussion
Children should not return to contact or collision sport for 14 days after all symptoms have resolved. And return to school should take priority over return to sport.
Download the Concussion in Sport Australia Position Statement for information about returning your child to sport.
Sam bettison 