Concussions can be interpreted through ‘signs‘, or ‘symptoms‘. The concussion ‘signs’ are visible by observing the player. Concussion ‘symptoms’ are what the player is feeling, which has to be reported to the coaching staff. Some ‘signs’, such as vomiting, or foaming at the mouth (a critical situation, requiring immediate medical attention) are visible, if they occur on the field. Some of the symptoms may occur away from the field, requiring that the player report these items to either coach or parents.
Concussion Signs and Symptoms
( Click on chart to see a larger picture)
Fencing Response
In the above signs, ‘fencing response‘ is listed. Fencing response is the manner in which the arms of a player are held in an unnatural position, for a few seconds, after suffering a traumatic concussion. If this sign is exhibited by a player, they have a concussion issue. They are done for the day, and should seek medical attention.
The Explanation
The Reaction
When attempting to judge a concussion situation, consider what caused the incident, and use that as a factor, combined with the players reaction. If what you saw caused you to mentally react in a ‘Wow’/’Oh My God’/’Are They Alright’ manner, you are reacting to the condition of impact. This typically means a hard hit, and you should lean toward them coming out of the game. These are children that are playing, not professional athletes. You must always put their health and well being ahead of the game.
Understand that the head does not have to take a hit for a concussion to occur. If there is a hard collision between players, this can cause the brain to violently move inside of the skull, causing a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The player could go to ground, without hitting their head, but the brain could still have been affected. A rotational acceleration impact to the body can cause more brain trauma than a hit from the from/back of the head.
Other immediate factors could include did the player get up immediately, or did they take a moment to collect themselves. Did they hold their head, or get up shaking their head. This again indicates that they need to sit out, for the sake of safety.
For children, the protection of their health is more important than their being in a game. If the incident was hard enough to cause their brain to bounce around inside their head, play it safe, sit them out. When a brain strikes the inside of the skull, due to force applied to body/head, this can result in a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Review the signs/symptoms that a player may have. One field test is to mention a pair of items (number sequence, commentary, color sequence, etc.) to a player and have them walk to the furthest flag pole on the field and back. Ask them to repeat what was mentioned to them, before they took the walk. This could give an indication of how the brain is processing information, and memory retention. If they do not recall what was spoken about, they are done playing for the day. This will not work adequately on very young children.
In all cases where it is suspected that the player may have a concussion, the player should be immediately pulled from play. You may ask them questions that you and they should know:
What city are they in
What field are they at
How did they get to the field
What is the name of their team
What is the name of their father/mother
What position do they play on the team
There are other questions that a player may be asked, which fall under the head of ‘Maddock Test‘. These questions are:
Which ground (field/city) are we at?
Which quarter/period/half is it now?
Who scored last in this match?
What team did you play last week?
Did your team win their last game
What team are we playing today
These questions will only test long/short-term memory, cognitive functions would still need to be assessed, as well as balance.
For younger children, asking questions may pose a problem, as depending on the severity of the concussion, they may be crying, or generally upset.
Some are using the ‘King-Devick‘ test for checking players for concussions.
The current recommended procedure is that the player should not be allowed to play unless they have a written document from a medical professional, releasing them to play. This will also depend on any policies or procedures that the league/club has for handling concussions. Players pulled from play for a suspected concussion should be closely watched by their parents. It is possible that the full impact of a concussion could occur after the game is well over. This could be the result of progressive damage occurring in the brain, which might manifest itself at a later point.
If the player has previously taken a baseline test, prior to the season starting, a physician could have another baseline test taken and then compare the preseason test with the post concussion test. This would enable the doctor to immediately identify any issues with the brain.
The following videos describe concussion signs and symptoms:
What are the symptoms of concussion
Difference Between Signs Of A Concussion And Symptoms
Recognizing Sports Concussions: Keep Youth Athletes Safe (13 min., very good)
When to seek immediate medical attention
If any of these symptoms appear, it is time for a hospital visit, immediately:
- Strong Headaches that intensify
- Seizures
- Neck pain
- Double Vision
- Foaming at the mouth
- Very drowsy, can’t be awakened
- Tingling in arms/legs
- Repeated vomiting
- Increasing confusion or irritability
- Weakness, numbness in arms and legs
- Unable to recognize people/places, less responsive than usual
Path To Recovery
To see what is required for a player to recover from a concussion, visit ‘https://yatahoy.com/sample-page/return-play-concussed-player/‘, which will explain the path to recovery, and how it can be accomplished.
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