Concussions Signs and Symptoms

How do we (at Aurora) educate people to recognize ¨ treat¨ and manage concussions?

Concussions, a form of traumatic brain injury, represent a complex pathology. Signs of concussion may be obvious or subtle. People may look fine, but simply are not. No two concussions look the same.

An interesting statistical point is that the risk of concussion for girls playing the same sport is higher than for boys. For example, for girls, Soccer & Basketball carry double the risk of concussion when compared to Soccer and Basketball for boys. We think it may have to do with hormones and changes to the brain. Ongoing research is examining whether fluctuating hormone levels change girls’ susceptibility to concussion.

Why are we so concerned with youth sports concussions?

Younger athletes take longer to recover from concussions when compared to collegiate or professional athletes. It is vital to manage concussion treatments conservatively in youth whose brains are still developing. These young people will continue to show growth and development up to age 25.  (Read More on the “Minutes” page)