If your teenager sustained a concussion, you may wonder whether they’re truly okay or if something more serious is going on beneath the surface. That worry is understandable. Teenagers may try to downplay their symptoms out of a desire to return to school or sports, but doing so can be risky. As a parent, it’s important to understand concussion symptoms and know when to seek additional support and treatment for your teen.
What Happens During a Concussion?
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that results from the brain shifting within the skull due to a blow, jolt, or sudden movement. It can temporarily affect how brain cells work and lead to symptoms that may appear right away or develop over a period of several hours or days. Even when imaging tests look normal, a concussion can still disrupt your teen’s attention, balance, mood, sleep, memory, and ability to handle daily activities.
The Most Common Causes of Concussion in Teenagers
Teenagers can get concussions in many everyday situations, not just during major accidents. Some of the most common causes of concussion among teenagers include:
- Contact sports, such as football, soccer, basketball, hockey, wrestling, and lacrosse
- Falls from bikes, skateboards, scooters, stairs, playground equipment, or uneven surfaces
- Car crashes
- Physical fights or assaults that involve a blow to the head
- Recreational activities, including cheerleading, gymnastics, skiing, snowboarding, and horseback riding
- Accidents at school, home, work, or social events where the head gets hit or shaken
What Effects Can a Concussion Have on Your Teenager?
A concussion can affect how your teenager thinks, feels, sleeps, and moves through their day. While some symptoms may be obvious right away, others don’t become clearer until your teen has returned to school, screens, sports, and other aspects of their normal routine. Symptoms to watch for at various stages of their recovery include:
- Immediate Symptoms – Headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, blurry vision, sensitivity to light or noise, balance problems, or feeling dazed can appear soon after the injury.
- Short-Term Effects – In the days or weeks after a concussion, your teen may have trouble concentrating, remembering their assignments, sleeping normally, managing their emotions, or keeping up with their schoolwork. They may also feel more tired, irritable, anxious, or withdrawn than usual.
- Long-Term Concerns – Most teens who sustain concussions recover in a reasonable amount of time if they receive proper care, but some may continue to experience headaches, mood changes, sleep problems, learning difficulties, or sensitivity to activity. Getting a second concussion before healing from the first can also raise the risk of more serious problems.
How Doctors Treat Teenagers Experiencing Concussion Symptoms
When you take your teenager to their doctor after a concussion, the physician will start by asking them how the injury happened and what symptoms they’ve noticed, including whether those symptoms have changed over time. They’ll test your teen’s balance, coordination, memory, concentration, vision, reflexes, and other signs of brain function. Concussion treatment usually prioritizes a short period of rest, followed by a gradual return to school, screens, exercise, and sports as symptoms allow.
Depending on your teen’s symptoms, their doctor may recommend reduced schoolwork, breaks during the day, limited screen time, sleep support, headache management, or referrals for physical therapy, vision therapy, or other care as they recover. Student athletes should not return to play until their medical professional clears them. Pushing too hard too soon can make your teen’s symptoms worse or slow their recovery.
The good news is that, with the right plan, many teenagers who suffer from concussions improve steadily and can safely return to their normal routines.
Get Your Teen the Treatment They Need After a Concussion
Did your teen get a concussion during sports or other activities? Schedule an appointment with Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine to get them checked by an experienced physician and started on an appropriate course of treatment.