Topic Overview

A concussion occurs when the head sustains a hard blow and the impact jars or shakes the brain inside the skull. The rapid movement interrupts the brain's normal activities and can cause bruising or swelling of the brain. Although there may be cuts or bruises on the head or face, there may be no other signs of a brain injury.

A concussion can cause your child to lose consciousness or act dazed or confused. Your child may not be able to remember what happened or may vomit. After a mild head injury (concussion), your child may not feel well, have a mild headache, or have other physical discomforts. These symptoms usually go away on their own over a few days to 2 weeks.

Occasionally, after a head injury you may think your child is not functioning as well as he or she did before the injury. Your child may have problems with ongoing symptoms, such as headache or forgetfulness, or new symptoms may develop, such as:

• Unsteadiness.
• Blurred or double vision.
• Changes in personality.
• A decreased ability to talk or feed himself or herself.
• Changes in how well your child is able to do physical activities, such as increased unsteadiness that makes it hard for him or her to walk or stand.
• In a young child, increased fussiness or lack of energy.

Some of these changes may be related to stress from the events surrounding the accident that caused the injury. But they may also be symptoms of a more serious injury or symptoms of slow bleeding between the brain and the covering of the brain (subdural hematoma).

Related Information

• Head Injury, Age 3 and Younger
• Head Injury, Age 4 and Older

Credits

Author	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Primary Medical Reviewer	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics
Specialist Medical Reviewer	H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Last Updated	July 9, 2008