Can You Recognize a Concussion?
If you are a teammate, coach, parent,
or athlete, it is important to immediately recognize a concussion when
it occurs.
Guidelines developed by the Brain
Injury Association and the American Academy of Neurology define three
grades of concussions:
|
Grade
one: |
the injured person is confused but conscious. Some signs
are temporary confusion, being dazed, unable to think clearly, and
having trouble following directions. These symptoms usually clear
up in less than 15 minutes. |
|
Grade
two: |
the injured person remains conscious, has
similar symptoms to grade one, but also develops amnesia. These
symptoms last for more than 15 minutes. |
|
Grade
three: |
the injured person loses consciousness - even
if only for a few seconds or longer. |
Recognizing a concussion is crucial to
knowing if an athlete should go back into the game. He or she first
needs to fully recover. The type of concussion will determine how long
to wait. It is extremely dangerous for anyone with a concussion to
receive a second, even minor, blow to the head. This can cause
"second impact syndrome" which has a 50 percent mortality
rate.
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