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Sports-Related Concussions & Subconcussive Injuries

Concussion Checklist for Parents

MomsTeam Founder and long-time concussion safety advocate, Brooke de Lench, provides a concussion safety checklist for parents to know their child's sports program is taking concussions seriously.

Concussion Signs and Symptoms

Concussion signs (observable by others) and symptoms (experienced by the athlete) fall into five clusters: symptoms, physical signs, behavioral changes, cognitive impairments, and sleep difficulties. Symptom scales continue to be a critical component in concussion assessment.

Concussions: Parents Are Critical Participants in Recognition, Treatment, Recovery

Parents are critical participants in the recognition and treatment of, and recovery from, a concussion, not only in the first 24 to 48 hours but during every step in the process towards an eventual return to the play.

Sports Concussion Myths and Misconceptions

Sports concussion myths are still common, despite increased media focus and education in recent years. Here are the facts.

Gradual Return to Play After Concussions Recommended

Athletes who suffer concussion should follow a six-step, symptom-limited, return to play process towards return to game play and may require a longer rest period and/or extended period of non-contact exercise before return than adults because they have a different physiological response to concussion, take longer to recover, and have other unique risk factors.

More Conservative Approach to Concussions in Children, Teens Recommended

Because the brain of the young athlete is still developing, with even subtle damage leading to learning deficits adversely affecting development, and with studies showing younger athletes recover more slowly than adults, a more conservative approach to concussions in children and teens than for older athletes is recommended.

News from MomsTEAM/ SmartTeams

 

Our understanding of TBI has come a long way since MomsTEAM launched its pioneering Concussion Safety Center in 2001. But the work of educating sports stakeholders about the management of TBI in children and adolescents, and ways to minimize the risk of brain injury in sports is, by its very nature, a never-ending and ongoing process.

S.A.F.E. Clip: Impact-Absorbing Facemask Clip for Football Helmets

A Michigan based company has developed which it claims reduces the g-force impact of one helmet to another called the S.A.F.E.Clip which replaces the plastic facemask clip which comes standard with a football helmet.

Impact Sensors: A Missing Piece of Head Injury Programs

One way to address the problem of chronic under-reporting and increase the chances a concussion will be identified early on the sports sideline, say some leading experts, is to rely less on athletes to remove themselves from games or practices by reporting concussion symptoms, or on game officials and sideline observers to observe signs of concussion, but to use impact sensors as essentially another set of eyes to alert sideline personnel to heavy hits that might cause a concussion.

Creating A Culture Of Concussion Safety Requires Teamwork All Season Long, Not Just One Day

 

If your child plays a contact or collision sport, whether at the youth, middle school or high school level, chances are they will suffer a concussion at some point in their athletic career. How quickly they recover may depend on how soon after injury - if at all - their concussion is identified so they can be removed from practice or game action. The problem is that concussion signs - still the best way to identify a concussion - are difficult to spot, and athletes often hide their symptoms.

One way to improve the chances that an athlete's brain injury is identified is for teams to employ a "buddy" system in which team members are assigned to watch for signs of concussion in designated teammates and, if they spot signs, or if their teammates tell them they are experiencing symptoms, are encouraged or required to immediately report the possible injury to the athletic trainer or the coach.
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