Recognizing symptoms of concussions is necessary for coaches and parents

USA Football discusses the importance of parents and coaches knowing and recognizing concussions.

The Giants teamed up with USA Football on the Protection Tour on Tuesday at MetLife Stadium for a program designed to educate parents, players and coaches about signs and symptoms of concussions, and the importance of proper equipment and tackling techniques.

"I wanted to come and learn as much as I could," said Angelo Pira, a parent from Westwood who brought his son Dominic, 8, to the event. "My wife and I are worried about concussions. Some of the things I learned were shocking."

During a 25-minute seminar conducted by Dr. Pat Kersey, USA Football’s medical director, he described a concussion as similar to when a yolk shakes within an egg shell, the yolk being the brain and the shell being the skull.

Kersey then outlined a series of indicators parents and coaches should be looking for when it comes to concussions. Headaches, nausea, memory problems and blurry vision all are common signs, but the biggest sign is if the kids are not feeling like themselves.

"A lot of the signs of concussions are not visible," Kersey said. "So I think parents should really trust their instinct if they notice their child is not acting like themselves.

"Physically they can be fine, they can move arms and legs and can jump and run, but if they’re emotionally different or their personality changes, they should be checked out. That’s why it’s important to educate parents."

Kersey’s words hit home for Pira when he recalled that Dominic came home from wrestling practice a few years ago, and was not acting like himself.

"It made me think back that maybe he had a concussion," said Pira, who volunteers as a Westwoodfootball youth coach.

The statistics for concussion rates in youth sports are alarming. It’s estimated that anywhere from 1.6 million to 3.8 million kids suffer concussions every year. Once athletes suffers a concussion, they become three to six times more likely to suffer another.

In 2011, the National Federation of State High School Associations reported that 15 percent of all sports-related injuries are concussions. Sports and recreational activities contribute to about 21 percent of all traumatic brain injuries among American children.

"The numbers are quite staggering, and that’s the number of reported cases," said David Egazarian ofOradell, who brought his son Steven, 7, to the event. "Think of all the unreported cases. It’s important to be aware of all the information about concussions."

And it’s not just limited to football. Soccer, basketball, baseball, lacrosse and cheerleading also have high rates of concussions. Soccer has the highest rate worldwide and football is the highest in the U.S.

And it’s not just sports. Kids can suffer concussions anywhere from falling off their bikes to falling out of bed.
"The thing I learned was that I thought you got a concussion [only] when you blacked out, but that’s not the case," said Kim Mehandzic of Westwood, who brought her son Nik, 8, to the event.
"I think it’s important to know that concussions do heal if they’re treated properly. So I would let my son keep playing sports. They learn valuable life lessons through team sports. Parents have to trust their instincts."
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