Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), often called concussions, are very common occurrences in children. These are bruises in the brain which occur when an impact to the head causes the brain to shake back and forth against the skull. Children, including preschoolers, toddlers, and even infants, often bruise or bump their heads from variety of methods, including motor vehicle or bicycle accidents, falls from heights (beds, stairs, etc.), and sport related impacts (Duhaime et al., 1992). Occasionally, these impacts can be hard enough and result in a TBI. Some children may also incur concussions from child abuse (Keenan, Runyan, Marshall, Nocera, & Merten, 2004). Concussions sustained from abuse and different forms of mistreatment often go …show more content…
If diagnosed early and the proper treatment administered, symptoms can significantly decrease. Depending on both the location and the severity of the concussion, symtoms may vary. For example, a brain injury to Broca’s or Wernicke’s areas would likely result in speech and language impairments. Impairments in one or more areas (such as physical, cognitive, or emotional) are common.
It is difficult to determine if a child who has sustained an impact to the head requires medical attention. While young children may have the exact same impairments or symptoms as adults, they may not be symptoms as older children, they may not be expressed in a similar manner. Because of the nature of language development, young children may not be able to explain certain feelings. For example, children up to a year old may only have a one or two word vocabulary, or not have any vocabulary at all. Even children older than that may not have the vocabulary necessary to explain the feeling of nausea.
Furthermore, symptoms such as impairments in speech comprehension or production may be easily observable in adults with fully developed language skills, but are almost undetectable in young children without well-developed language skills.
Long Term Problems Even though concussive symptoms of children and adults is the same, the long term effects are not. While an adult has a fully developed brain, the brain of a child is still developing. For a long
Attention for traumatic brain injury has grown over the years and programs have been created to help try and prevent the injuries. As this is an injury to the brain the literature is vast with insight into what part of the brain injured resulted in what change in the individual. Children and athletics have been the main focus in recent years for studies as research have shown that undiagnosed injuries can have long lasting effects.
Today, one of the more common injuries in youth sports is a concussion. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that occurs after a player has either taken a hit to their body that has caused both the head a brain to quickly jerk back and forth, or by a sudden shock or knock to the head. With the force and sudden movement, there is movement of the brain which can cause chemical changes that can lead to permanent or stretching the brain cells. By the above definition you can start to think of many instances in sports where a player can receive a concussion.
We have all heard of the term “sports injury”. Usually an accident that occurs when engaged in a sport, the ideal can apply from something as frustrating as a rolled ankle to the more debilitating shock of a broken arm. Yet the fact remains that these physical ailments will heal, and properly, if they are treated properly. But what about concussions? What are the long term effects? In her brief editorial in TIME magazine, Alexandra Sifferlin explores the effects of concussions and specifically how they affect children if they aren't disclosed.
In the U.S. alone, athletes suffer from roughly 300,000 concussions per year; 3,800,000 concussions were reported in 2012, which is double of what was reported in 2002. A concussion may be defined as a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, stretching and damaging the brain cells and creating chemical changes in the brain. Concussions are not usually considered life-threatening, but they may result in effects to the brain that may lead to devastating outcomes. Concussions are serious injuries that need to be taken seriously because of their severity and the serious health disorders that may arise.
Concussions have huge negative effects on the brain. Repeated trauma alters the structure and function of the brain. Researchers have used MRIs to demonstrate that maltreated children have smaller head size and brain volume compared to children with no history of maltreatment (De bellis. Keshavan, Clark, Case, Giedd, Boring et al.,1999; Mulvihill, 2005). Smaller brain sizes may be responsible for lower intelligence or cognitive ability, less impulse or emotional control, motor development delays, diagnosis or mental and psychological disorders and poor socio-emotional and or psychological function (De Bellis; Glaser, 2000). Some the the symptoms that occur after a concussion are according to (Aubry, 2002, pp.6-18) unaware of period, opposition, score of game, confusion, amnesia, loss of consciousness, unaware of time, date, place, headache, dizziness, nausea, unsteadiness/loss of balance, Feeling “dinged” or stunned or “dazed”, “Having my bell rung”, Seeing stars or flashing lights, ringing in the ears, and/or double vision. After a possible concussion any one or
The symptoms include memory problems, nausea, temporary disorientation, and brief unconsciousness, while more serious concussions can result in permanent brain damage, especially if repeated. In the most severe cases, the brain could swell, consequently putting pressure on the brain stem which controls basic life functions, particularly breathing. Recently concussed people did 25% worse on memory and comprehension assessments compared to those without a concussion, a study published in the journal Neurology found. The concussed participants showed signs of brain damage on imaging scans one year later, despite evaluation results being equal between the two groups. Kids of the approximate middle school age, 12-15, are at the highest risk. Not only are they at the highest risk, younger kids are now sustaining concussions more frequently. The most recent data from the Center for Disease Control shows that 25,376 children were sent to the emergency room due to brain injury received from participating in football each year. According to the Southwest Athletic Trainers’ Association, emergency room visits for concussions doubled between 8 and 13 year olds between 1997 and
According to an excerpt from "Virginia Board Of Education Guidelines for Polices on Concussions in Student Athletes", a concussion is a brain injury that occurs when someone receives any type of hit that results in the sudden jarring of the head. One concussion may result in headaches, dizziness, nausea, loss of consciousness, mood swings, and depression. These effects may last from a few hours to thirty years. In addition to short term effects that usually occur with any head trauma, long term effects are always possibility as well. Some long term effects include behavioral changes, slowing of movements, and an increased possibility of suicide. These debilitating symptoms can persist long after the impact and lesson someone's quality of life. With a proper evaluation and the necessary recovery time though, these symptoms can be extinguished.
When you have a concussion it can be hard to focus, you can have lower test scores, and every time you get a concussion you damage your brain long term more and more [Newsela]. Also, after you get one concussion you have a better chance of multiple concussions, like cognitive impairments, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and also it can cause post concussion syndrome [Flynn]. 9/10 teens who continue to show symptoms of brain injury have academic problems like headaches and bad concentration. Once you have multiple concussions you can get syndrome like cognitive impairments (MCI's), chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and post-concussion syndrome (PCS). Headache (85%) and Dizziness (70-80%) are most commonly reported symptoms immediately following concussions for injured athletes [Flynn].“The National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research in Chapel Hill, NC, reported 35 cases of Second-impact syndrome [SIS] among American football players from
There are multiple symptoms associated with the receiving of a concussion, but there are three that are outstandingly common among the general population of victims of concussions. Those include sensory changes and deficits, emotional difficulties like depression, and an overall reduction in cognitive functioning. According to Moore, Broglio, and Hillman, a concussion is defined as “a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by traumatic biomechanics forces.” Sport-Related Concussion and Sensory Function in Young Adults Simply stated, this means that a concussion is an injury that results from a traumatic blow to the brain. In recent years, concussions have been a popular topic in the media. Whether it be with regards
In every sports season 5 to 20 percent of kids suffer a concussion(Jeremy Olson 1SH). A concussion is a type of brain injury that mostly occurs when playing in contact sports. Most people do not think concussions are a big deal but they are. In fact concussions can lead to suicide because they cause your brain to not function correctly, especially when having more than one. Not only can they lead to suicide but they also have many long term effects on the brain. I am sure on television, many viewers have seen big collisions where somebody gets a hard hit to the head. It is most likely that person suffered a concussion. Since concussions occur naturally in
A concussion is defined as “a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells”. A concussion is considered a mild form of a traumatic brain injury; however, it can still cause serious short and long-term complications and risks; especially because of the more vulnerable brain of a pediatric victim. Children are at a higher risk for concussions and have a higher risk of more devastating effects because of the developing brain. Sports related concussions are
Many people hear the word “concussion” and think of it as being just a simple headache; however, not many know the significant health consequences associated with receiving a concussion. Concussions can have a variety of adverse effects on a person, some of which include sensory changes and deficits, emotional difficulties like depression, and an overall reduction in cognitive functioning. Abnormal eye movements and a reduced sense of touch are examples of sensory changes and deficits that are common with concussions. Individuals on the receiving end of concussions also deal with emotional difficulties including depression and even certain forms of guilt. Reduction in overall cognitive
Brain trauma is extremely dangerous and in some cases fatal. It is imperative for anyone participating in sports to learn the signs and symptoms of a concussion as well as the long-term effects. Educating the youth of these consequences will teach them that it is key to abstain from high intensity, contact sports until completely healed to ensure their best possible health. Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you
Concussion: 1. temporary unconsciousness caused by a blow to the head. The term is also used loosely of the after effects such as confusion or temporary incapacity. 2. a violent shock as from a heavy blow. Now which seems worse, a child who has been knocked unconscious, or one who has taken a blow to the head and experiences and violent shock neurologically? Both meaning the same thing in essence, these are the definitions of a concussions. Now ask yourself, how many people you know that have received concussions, perhaps multiple, and function just fine? The number, depending on who you are, might very well be a high number, but what’s the harm in that? Although symptoms of concussions may disappear, the damage internally is permanent, and that damage can be life threatening either now or down the road. The reason children are brought into this mix rather than everyday
High school athletes are more prone to concussions than older athletes due to the body systems not being fully grown. The recovery of the high school athletes is longer than older students as well (article 1). Athletes with previous history of concussions were nine times more likely to demonstrate loss of consciousness and memory (article 1). Although athletes