South Australian parents are being urged to be aware of the symptoms of child concussion, as clinical experts warn no two head injuries are the same and some children can take weeks or months to recover.
So far this year, the Women's and Children's Hospital's Child and Adolescent Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service (CABIRS) has had 121 referrals – compared to 178 in all of 2023 - with 35.5 per cent of injuries being sports related and 60 per cent of patients being boys. The service looks after children aged between two and 18 years of age.
CABIRS trauma doctors say children are more likely to suffer from concussions as their brains are still developing and their neck muscles aren't as strong, making the brain more susceptible to forceful trauma.
While normal recovery can take up to four weeks, 20 to 25 per cent of children will require extra time and help to return to normal activities.
One of those was 12-year-old Xavier Bickley, son of Adelaide Crows premiership captain Mark Bickley, who took three months to make a full recovery from a severe concussion sustained from a bike riding accident in January.
Xavier had a delayed return to the school year missing the first two weeks, during which time he couldn't be exposed to technology, including laptops and television.
Additionally, he had to restrict his concentration periods. It was three months after the accident that he was cleared to resume vigorous activity, such as running and playing contact sport.
Xavier received care from the Women's and Children's Hospital's Child and Adolescent Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service, and Flinders Medical Centre, and now enjoys playing sport regularly again.
Concussion experts suggest that children should take it easy for the first day after a concussion, and then start building up physical and cognitive activities over the following days.
Taking appropriate action after a concussion can help prevent a prolonged recovery.
A child does not need to lose consciousness to sustain a concussion. As concussions can be hard to spot, parents are urged to look for subtle signs if their child suffers a head injury, including:
- Headaches
- Sensitivity to light and noise
- Confusion and difficulty concentrating
- Nausea and dizziness
- Mood changes
- Sleep changes
Schools and sporting clubs can help prevent and manage concussions by having good policies in place, including encouraging children to wear sport-specific protective gear.
If parents suspect their child has sustained a mild traumatic brain injury, they should seek medical attention and follow the advice of medical professionals.
Parents, trainers, coaches and teachers are also encouraged to download the online app HeadCheck , which gives evidence-based information to recognise concussions and manage recovery.
The free app has been developed in collaboration between the AFL, Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), Curve Tomorrow and a panel of sport-related concussion experts.
For more information on mild traumatic brain injuries visit Child and Adolescent Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service
Parents and other sporting club volunteers are strongly encouraged to engage with the State Government funded community concussion program, led by the South Australian Sports Medicine Association (SASMA), that is providing education about this important issue.
So far, 77 sessions have been held by SASMA across South Australia in the past 12 months.
As put by Chris Picton
Sport should be fun, especially for our kids. But it's always better to err on the side of caution when it comes to a head knock. No two head injuries are the same and the consequences can be devastating.
Concussions are invisible injuries, and it can be easy for parents to miss that your child is still healing and needs rest.
We encourage parents to be wary of the more subtle symptoms and to seek medical help if your child is experiencing mood, sleep or behavioural changes after suffering a concussion.
As put by Katrine Hildyard
Getting out and being active has great physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing benefits, but it's crucial that we ensure everyone can safely participate in the sport and recreation they love.
That means we need to support parents and other sporting club volunteers to recognise and treat concussions as the traumatic brain injuries that they are.
The days of 'get up, shake it off and get back out there' are, thankfully, well and truly behind us. We will keep supporting parents, in partnership with SASMA and local sporting clubs, to be aware and to appropriately respond.
As put by Mark and Tory Bickley
Our family has seen first-hand how a concussion can have a serious impact on a child's health.
We can't thank the team at the Women's and Children's Hospital and Flinders Hospital enough, and encourage other parents to be careful after their child has a concussion.
As put by Women's and Children's Health Network Physiotherapist Georgina Leov
It's very important that children return to gentle activity early in their recovery, but only get back to high-risk sports once they are symptom free. A return before this can risk further injury, longer recovery and poorer outcomes.
Importantly, we don't want children to stop playing sport, but rather we ask that parents stay aware, seek advice, and follow protocols before allowing their child to return to school or sport.
We also remind parents that a concussion is not just a sporting injury. We see young people who have sustained concussions from a variety of causes, including bike accidents, motor vehicle accidents and falls.
