Young adolescents and all children sustaining a concussion might be more susceptible than adults to prolonged recovery and poorer acute and long-term outcomes. For this reason, prevention and instruction is especially important.
Make sure your child wears a helmet while playing contact sports. While helmets can’t prevent concussions, they can limit the severity of the concussion.
Proper equipment should be used, as should proper technique, such as football coaches’ instruction in tackling. This is especially important for the young athlete, who is especially vulnerable.
Because of the seriousness of concussions, a student-athlete showing any signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion – both at rest and during exertion – should be removed immediately from practice or competition. They then are not to return to participation until cleared by an appropriate health care professional, and not on that same day.
It is suggested that the affected student-athlete be evaluated within 24 hours by a licensed health care professional familiar with concussion management to prevent or lessen any consequences.