Concussions occur after an athlete has suffered a blow to the head resulting in a wide-range of signs and symptoms. How do you know what to do when an athlete sustains a head injury? It is a difficult decision and one that should be made by trained medical personnel. For the coach or parent, your main duty is to check for initial deficits, verify that there is no loss of feeling/movement in limbs (that would mean central nervous system damage) prior to moving an athlete, and remove the athlete from the playing field. Then monitor the athlete for changes in those deficits. It is your job to inform the physician of deficits you observed. All head injuries should be cleared by a physician prior to returning to practice.
What should you check for?
| 1. Cognition or thinking tasks: | Ask athlete simple to more complex questions that the coach or parent would know the answer to (i.e., What team are you playing?; Who did we play last week?, or count backwards by 2s, etc.). Repeat the same questions every five to 10 minutes to detect changes in response. |
| 2. Eye Signs: | Look at the pupils- both should be the same size; both should dilate/constrict equally Vision - check for blurred vision Eye Tracking - make sure both eyes can follow an object (pen/pencil) up; down; to the right; to the left equally. Make sure the eye is not fluttering or jerking. |
| 3. Postural or balance tasks: | Check the athlete’s balance by having him/her stand erect with feet together, arms at the side, and eyes closed. Or have the athlete stand on one foot. |
| 4. Physical Signs: | Changes in pulse, breathing, and skin color; skull/face deformity; dazed/confused look; level of consciousness |
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Reprinted with the permission of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.
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