Help! I Think My Kid Has a Concussion

Any blow, bump, jostle, or jolt can cause a concussion, and childhood is full of opportunities for accidents and mishaps. Concussions can result from surprisingly gentle incidents. 

As a parent, your role of amateur medical detective is an important part of keeping your child safe. They’re likely to shrug off a head injury if it means they can continue having fun with their friends. 

Signs of concussion are varied, potentially combining cognitive, emotional, and physical signs. No concussion injury should be ignored, so it’s important to contact our pediatricians at Abdow Friendship Pediatrics in Rockville, Maryland, for medical oversight of your child’s injury. 

Recognizing signs of concussion in your kid

As a parent, you can’t be everywhere, nor can you expect accurate communication about every situation your child encounters that has a potential health impact. Unfortunately, concussions don’t always happen with visible symptoms. 

Chances are, your first awareness of a concussion will come from a feeling that something is different about your child, perhaps an odd behavior, mood, or change in energy. Frequently, concussions can cause sleep disruptions. 

Let’s take a look at common observable concussion symptoms, sorted by type. 

Physical symptoms

Your child may display physical signs of a traumatic brain injury, such as: 

• Balance problems
• Changes in coordination skills
• Complaints of dizziness
• Fatigue that seems outside of their normal patterns
• Headaches
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Nausea or vomiting

Also, watch for unusual eye movements or misalignments, along with comments about their vision being blurry or doubled. 

Cognitive clues

These signs of concussion can be more difficult to pin down. Keep an eye on things like: 

• Changes in concentration skills
• Memory problems
• Trouble focusing their attention
• Slow responses
• A general foggy mental state that’s out of character

You might notice they get easily frustrated when trying to complete tasks that are usually easy for them. 

Emotional patterns

If it feels as though your child has been through a complete personality change, it may be due to a concussion. Watch for signs like:

• Emotional episodes that are more frequent, more severe, or otherwise out of character
• Irritability
• Sadness or depression
• Nervousness

When your child’s emotional responses change unexpectedly, a head injury might be involved. 

Sleep disruptions

Suspect a concussion if sudden changes in your child’s sleep cycle emerge. Common disruptions include: 

• Trouble falling asleep
• Oversleeping
• Difficulty waking up
• Sleeping less than usual

The key here is more about the speed of the changing behavior than the specific behavior. Changes in your child’s sleep patterns are normal but usually gradual. 

Mild or major, every concussion is significant. It’s better to investigate a false alarm than to ignore real symptoms. Call or click to book your appointment with our team whenever your parental instincts tell you something isn’t right.