“The diagnosis and treatment of concussions and their long-term effects on athletes continue to be an evolving discipline,” said R. Robert Franks, D.O., Assistant Director of Sports Medicine and Director of the Concussion Program at the Cooper Bone & Joint Institute.

A concussion is a mild, traumatic brain injury – a disturbance of function of the nerve cells in the brain – caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head, or that radiates to the head from the trunk or neck. The injury is particularly common in contact sports, such as football and soccer.

Concussions range in severity, but they all share one common factor: They temporarily interfere with the way the brain works. They can affect memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance and coordination.

It’s important to remember that concussions can occur without loss of consciousness. In fact, most people who get a concussion never lose consciousness. Because signs and symptoms can be subtle, many people may have suffered a concussion and never realized it. Symptoms don’t always occur right away.

“Some signs and symptoms may be immediate but others can occur hours, days or even weeks later,” said Dr. Franks.

“Initial symptoms may include headache, dizziness, sensitivity to light or noise, vomiting, vision changes, disorientation and nausea. Later symptoms may include fatigue, concentration or memory problems, sleep disturbances, irritability, sluggishness and personality changes,” said David B. Gealt, D.O., Assistant Director of the Concussion Program at the Cooper Bone & Joint Institute.

Fortunately, most concussions are mild and people usually recover fully. Complete mental and physical rest is required for the brain to heal.  This can often take several days or longer.

But serious complications can arise in severe cases, so any trauma to the head, face or neck should be watched carefully.

If you suspect your child athlete has a concussion, seek medical attention to determine the severity of the injury. Athletes who aren’t fully recovered from an initial concussion are significantly vulnerable for recurrent, cumulative, and even catastrophic consequences if a second concussive injury occurs.

The best way to prevent difficulties is to manage the injury properly when it does occur.

“The advice we can give parents who have children involved in athletics is to get them a baseline brain function test,” Dr. Gealt said.

Sports Medicine specialists suggest that all athletes get a baseline brain function test prior to the season and within days after a head injury. The test would help physicians decide when a child should return to play by comparing the baseline test results to later test results.

The Cooper Bone & Joint Institute is a credentialed provider of ImPACT, a computerized brain function test that measures brain processing, speed, memory and visual motor skills. The technology is used by many national sports teams and is considered most useful in identifying the effects of concussion.

In fact, the Cooper Bone & Joint Institute is the only hospital in South Jersey that offers the ImPACT technology, as well as a specialized program in the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and management of minor traumatic brain injuries.  Its physicians are all credentialed ImPACT providers.

Dr. Gealt is a delegate to the Brain Injury Association of New Jersey, and Dr. Franks is a representative of the New Jersey Osteopathic Physicians Society to the Brain Injury Association of New Jersey.

Each year many sports-related injuries are treated in doctors’ offices and hospital emergency rooms.  The Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper hopes these tips will help to keep your children safe and healthy this spring and summer:

• Allow proper time to warm up and stretch, as well as cool down and stretch post exercise.
• Equipment should fit properly and be worn correctly.
• Some sports may require facial and teeth protection devices.
• If your child is a pitcher – follow the league guidelines for the number of pitches and innings pitched per game or week.
• The playing field should be inspected for holes, glass and other debris.
• Coaches should be knowledgeable about first aid and able to administer it for minor injuries.
• Discuss with coach any medical condition that your child may have.
• Any injury that alters performance or function should be evaluated medically.
• Make sure your child drinks plenty of water during physical activity.

You worry about your child breaking a bone or spraining an ankle while doing a favorite sport. But your child is also at risk for concussions. Each year about 300,000 sports-related traumatic brain injuries occur in our country, and most can be classified as concussions. This number could be much higher because many concussions go undiagnosed. Concussions can occur in any sport—and all are serious injuries.  The following signs and symptoms are offered by our Bone & Joint Institute to help you recognize a possible concussion:

• Early symptoms are headaches, dizziness, confusion, ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting and visual changes.
• Not every child will experience these symptoms. Symptoms that can occur later include memory disturbances, poor concentration, irritability, sleep disturbances, personality changes and fatigue.
• Cognitive symptoms may include unawareness of what is happening around the child (e.g., game score, opponent or quarter if playing football), confusion, amnesia, loss of consciousness and inability to detect time, date or place.
• Physically, a child with a concussion may experience loss of consciousness, impaired conscious state, poor coordination or balance, convulsions/impact seizure, problems walking, slowness in answering questions or following directions, distraction, problems concentrating, nausea/vomiting, vacant stare, glassy eyes, slurred speech, personality changes and decreased playing ability.

Concussions are serious injuries. Seek immediate medical attention if you suspect you child has a concussion, as untreated symptoms may lead to complications, with some even being fatal.

For more information about concussions, including common questions many parents ask, be sure to read “Concussions In Sports: Knowing When To Stop Playing” on the Cooper Bone & Joint website @ www.cooperhealth.org/content/BJ/BoneAndJoint_Concussions.htm.