Who to contact for help

If you believe you have suffered from a concussion, contact your primary care physician. If you recognize any of the following symptoms, call 9-1-1 and seek immediate medical attention: o Unusual drowsiness o Changes in pupil size in one eye o Loss of consciousness (> 1 minute) o Becoming increasingly confused or irritable o Repeated vomiting or nausea o Tingling in arms or legs o Clear bloody fluid from ears or nose o Worsening symptoms

Additional Resources
http://www.cdc/gov/CONCUSSION/ This is a link to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The website contains information about concussions including links to resources and facts. The site includes two free online courses on the prevention, recognition, and appropriate response to concussions on young athletes. Great resource sportsconcussionsmichiganatheltes.com/c oncussion-information/ Website created by the Michigan Athletic Association addressing young athletes directly. It informs them about what to look for and what to do if they suspect they have sustained a concussion. www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH867uCahE E&feature=related Link to ESPNs feature story on concussions.

Concussions
Everything you need to know about concussions and how to recognize the signs and symptoms

Signs and Symptoms

Facts about Concussions

Definition According to the CDC, a concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury caused by a bump or blow to the head. You cant see a concussion. Signs and symptoms of a concussion can show up right after the injury or may not appear or be noticed until days after the injury. How long will the symptoms last? Symptoms of concussions, such as confusion, blurry vision, headache, loss of memory and loss of consciousness can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few days depending on the severity of the impact. Medical experts group concussions into 5 grades based on their severity. Grade I -not associated with loss of consciousness; post-traumatic amnesia is either absent or less than 30 minutes in duration. Athletes may return to play if no symptoms are present for one week.

Statistics
CDC estimates reveal that 1.6 million to 3.8 million concussions occur each year 5-10% of athletes will experience a concussion in any given sport season Fewer than 10% of sport related concussions involve a Loss of Consciousness (e.g., blacking out, seeing stars, etc.) Football is the most common sport with concussion risk for males (75% chance for concussion) Soccer is the most common sport with concussion risk for females (50% chance for concussion) 78% of concussions occur during games (as opposed to practices)

Importance of Reporting a Suspected Concussion

While the brain is still healing, you are more likely to sustain another concussion. Repeat concussions increase the recovery time and make the likelihood of long term problems increase.
High school athletes who have been concussed are three times more likely to suffer another concussion in the same season. 50% of "second impact syndrome" incidents - brain injury caused by premature return to activity after suffering initial injury (concussion) result in death. History of injury is often a risk factor for future injury, making prevention critical.

Grade II -lose consciousness for less than five minutes or exhibit posttraumatic amnesia between 30 minutes and 24 hours in duration. They also may return to play after one week of being asymptomatic. Grade III -involve post-traumatic amnesia for more than 24 hours or unconsciousness for more than five minutes. Players who sustain this grade of brain injury should be sidelined for at least one month, after which they can return to play if they are asymptomatic for one week. If a person who has a concussion has not recovered within a few months, they are diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome. They may show the same symptoms such as poor memory, confusion, headaches, dizziness, and irritability. However these symptoms will last longer and may even be permanent.