More than a headache: Concussions difficult to diagnose, but coaches trained to watch for sports injuries

For many children, playing sports is an important part of maintaining a well-rounded lifestyle.

Sports teach student-athletes things like fitness, discipline and teamwork, but there is a degree of risk they take by stepping on the field. Like most other sports injuries, a concussion by itself isn't too serious and will heal entirely over time.

Unlike other sports injuries, however, concussions are sometimes difficult to diagnose. Symptoms of a mild concussion can be no more than a headache and a sour mood, but more serious concussions can cause nausea and vomiting, dizziness, confusion and memory problems, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Lance Tollison, athletic director at Cape Central High School, says that under the direction of the Missouri State High School Activities Association, schools are taking steps to ensure athlete safety.

"We do have sports certified athletic trainers involved in all our athletic programs and a doctor on the sideline for our home football games," he says. "Trainers are part of our practice sessions as well as games."

One reason concussions are difficult to spot is an athlete can sustain a concussion without losing consciousness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention keeps records of reported concussions, which show the sports with the highest concussion rates are full-collision sports such as football and hockey, but concussions in basketball and especially girls' soccer are also common. So-called extreme sports such as skateboarding and BMX don't account for as many concussions as the conventional team sports, but the rates of injury are similarly high.

One of the reasons for the prevalence of concussions in competition is the reluctance of players to sit out. The culture of most sports teams can discourage players from reporting symptoms, since it would mean time on the bench.

There are only so many weeks in a season, and the prospect of playing through a headache is often more appealing than not playing at all.

Unfortunately, undiagnosed concussions only make the problem worse.

Once a child has sustained a concussion, CDC studies have shown they are anywhere from three to six times more likely to develop another one within the next six months, even if they take the time immediately after the injury to recuperate, which isn't always the case.

While the symptoms of a concussion are normally gone within the week, according to the Mayo Clinic, for a brain to fully recover from a concussion, it more or less needs to be left alone. That means no strenuous physical or mental exertion.

And even after a physician says it's OK to resume activity, they recommend a gradual return to everyday activities. The healing process may be a drag, but those who don't take the time to do it put themselves at risk of developing postconcussion syndrome.

Postconcussion syndrome usually consists of prolonged headaches and dizziness caused when the brain is consistently agitated after sustaining a concussion so it heals slower. Depending on the severity of the injury, symptoms can last up to a month, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

The effects of concussions on career NFL players brought the discussion about safety in sports to the forefront over the past year. It caused many to scrutinize the way in which concussions are treated, but when it comes to youth sports, the game is a little different.

Since the damage to the brain builds up over time, the dramatic effects of a lifetime spent in a collision sport can be frightening, especially to parents. But a concussion heals, and shouldn't dissuade someone from engaging in a full-contact sport.

The most important precaution to be taken for young athletes is to make sure the safety equipment they wear fits correctly and is in working order. Other than that, vigilance is key.

More and more schools' athletic trainers are being taught to recognize the subtle anomalies in mood or behavior or complaints of a headache that can signify a minor concussion, so it doesn't get worse.

"All coaches are trained on the signs and symptoms of a concussion," Tollison says. "We rely heavily on our training staff to assist us with that."

In the end, the benefits of practicing a sport far outweigh the risks for young athletes, but ultimately staying healthy should be the goal.