How to resolve AdBlock issue? Concussions can significantly impact a child’s development
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- Paige Havens | The Concussion Discussion
The Center for Disease Control recently released a new report to Congress on The Management of Traumatic Brain Injury in Children. There were some interesting findings that parents need to be keenly aware of.
The report states young children have one of the highest rates of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) related emergency department (ED) visits. This means that TBI in children proves to be a significant public health risk that we all need to take very seriously.
The leading causes of TBI in children were motor vehicle crashes and everyday trips and falls. Sports and recreational activities followed closely behind. Head injuries categorized as “mild TBI” account for 70-90% of TBI-related ED visits. Concussions fall into this “mild” category.
While longitudinal studies show most children will recover from initial symptoms within six weeks of injury, 60% have persistent symptoms one-month post-injury, 10% at three months, and 5% at one year. The significance of problems might not be realized until years after the injury when higher-level cognitive and behavioral functioning don’t meet development milestones.
This is why it is so important that parents educate themselves about concussions and traumatic brain injury. Make time to read the CDC’s full report (go.usa.gov/xn-vbq) and take any big bump or jolt to your child’s head or body seriously. These injuries can be life-changing.