Concussions in Children: What Parents Should Know

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Its effects can be serious, and a child with a concussion needs to be seen by a health care provider.

A CDC HEADS UP video about concussion in children.

What happens in a concussion

A concussion comes from a bump, blow or jolt to the head, or from a hit to the body that snaps the head and brain rapidly back and forth. That sudden movement can make the brain bounce or twist inside the skull, causing chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells.

Concussions can change a child's brain, body and behavior, and their symptoms can make everyday life at home and school hard. Recovery tends to take longer for a child who has had previous concussions or who has more severe symptoms right after the injury.

Get your child checked

Feeling anxious, afraid or unsure after your child hits their head is normal. The most useful thing you can do is have them checked by a health care provider: providers have treatments that help, and getting care can speed recovery. CDC's guide to recovery after a concussion explains what to do, and its Where to Get Help page can help you find a provider.

Avoid repeat head impacts

Image from CDC's HEADS UP page on concussion basics.

Repeated head impacts raise the chance of concussions and other brain injuries, and of changes in the brain and brain disease. A child who has had several concussions may have:

• ongoing trouble with concentration, memory or headaches;
• physical problems, such as keeping their balance;
• a higher risk of mental health problems and other chronic conditions.

What parents can do

• Learn the signs. Know the signs and symptoms of a concussion to watch for after any bump, blow or jolt to the head.
• Help prevent them. CDC's HEADS UP program has prevention tips.
• Know about serious injuries. Moderate or severe brain injuries can cause long-term or lifelong health problems.
• Use the handouts. CDC offers sheets on caring for a child's concussion, helping a child recover, and a letter to send to school about symptoms, plus free HEADS UP online training for coaches, parents and athletes.

Sources

Based on "Concussion Basics," HEADS UP, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain.

• The film is the agency's own low-resolution copy, recovered from the Internet Archive's record of cdc.gov.