Doctors at OU Children’s Hospital are teaching parents how to help their young athletes who could be suffering from concussions.
Doctor Ashley McAllister, a sports medicine pediatrician, followed high school football in the fall and took care of players with concussions and injuries. She said she wants parents to know the warning signs to help doctors diagnose concussions sooner.
Head injuries can happen anywhere and parents can be the first to pick up on symptoms because they know their children better than the coaches on the sidelines and medical professionals.
“They can recognize mood changes [and] behavior changes that come after a head injury,” said Dr. McAllister. “So, they may be able to recognize concussions a little bit sooner than others.”
it’s also important for young athletes playing a contact sport to fully understand proper tackling techniques and execute them on the field. Dr. McAllister said if a child isn’t able to do that, it can put them at risk for a head injury.
It can typically take kids up to three to four weeks to recover from a concussion, especially if they have a history of chronic headaches, migraines, anxiety or depression.