Athlete Information

Athlete Safety

Concussion Information

General Information

What is a concussion?

A concussion is a mild brain injury that temporarily affects the way the brain works and can lead to symptoms such as headache, dizziness, and confusion.

A concussion happens when the brain is injured. This can happen when the head is hit — for example, from a fall. But concussions also can happen without a blow to the head — for example, in a car accident when the head snaps forcefully forward and back. The strong movement causes chemical and blood flow changes in the brain. These changes lead to concussion symptoms.

You can't see a concussion on an x-ray or scan. Signs and symptoms of concussion can show up right after the injury or may not appear or be noticed until days or weeks after the injury. If your student reports any symptoms of concussion, or if you notice the symptoms yourself, seek medical attention and let your school's health team know.

What are signs and symptoms of a concussion?

Here are some of the symptoms that are typically associated with a concussion.

Symptoms you might see	Symptoms they might report
confusion vomiting balance/coordination off slow responses behavior or personality changes can't remember the event	headache or "pressure" in the head nausea or vomiting balance, coordination or vision problems dizziness sensitivity to light or noise feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy concentration or memory problems confusion just feeling "not right"

What should you do if you think your child has a concussion?

Seek medical attention right away. A health care professional will be able to decide how serious the concussion is and when it is safe for your student to return to full activity.
If your student is an athlete, keep them out of play. Concussions take time to heal. Don't let your student return to play until a health care professional says it's OK. Students who return to play too soon - while the brain is still healing - risk a greater chance of having a second concussion. Second or later concussions can be very serious. They can cause permanent brain damage, affecting your student for a lifetime.
Report any prior concussion. Doctors should know if your student had a recent concussion.
If your student is not an athlete, they still need time to recover and heal. Keep physical and mental activity low key and let your school know - they will facilitate a return to learning strategy to support your student.
Important - Notify the school if your student has had a concussion/head injury. Find your school's health team.

Concussion & Head Injury Resources

Resources

BVSD Concussion Protocol - how concussions are managed in BVSD

BVSD Return to School / Sport Form - Required for Return to Play after a head injury

Formulario de regreso a la escuela/juego de BVSD - Requerido para volver a jugar después de una lesión en la cabeza

Concussion Information for Parents - CDC HEADS UP

Información de conmoción cerebral para los padres- CDC HEADS UP

CDE Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) - Dept of Ed Resources for Parents and Educators

CDC Heads Up - Brain Injury Information

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