Head injuries can result from a number of different causes. Internal causes of brain injuries include strokes, tumors or seizures. External causes of brain injuries may be motor vehicle accidents and sports injuries

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are classified into three categories; mild, moderate and severe. This categorization is based on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and reflects whether or not the individual lost consciousness and other behavioral measures. Our discussion here will focus on mild TBI in which an individual may lose consciousness for only a moment or does not lose consciousness at all. These mild closed head injuries, also referred to as concussive injuries, are a major problem today, particularly among children and teenagers. Mild head injuries may occur on the playground, during sports or by falling off a bicycle. They may occur in car or motorcycle accidents if there is impact to the head.

 

Mild head injuries are increasingly occurring during sports, particularly high impact sports. Aggressive body contact in some sports and the practice of using the head to hit the ball in some sports is contributing to this growing problem, in girls as well as boys. Statistics from a 2005 NCAA injury report on comparisons of game injuries by gender revealed that in soccer females had a higher concussion rate than males. In a 2006 NCAA Report of Concussion Rates many traditional high school sports such as football, lacrosse and ice hockey were at the top of the list for potential concussion.

Some of the symptoms of a mild concussive injury include dizziness, headache, nausea, blurred vision and confusion. Coaches may observe the more obvious symptoms such as loss of consciousness, difficulty with balance, disorientation or memory loss. Often the symptoms of a mild concussive injury are not recognized. Children and teenagers may not report their symptoms because they do not realize the seriousness of their injury. In sports, they may be reluctant to report symptoms because they understandably want to remain in the game. With internal symptoms that are not observable, such as headache, a coach may unknowingly send the child back into the game with the concussion (Cantu, 2007).

Mild head injuries and their symptoms should never be ignored. Coaches, athletes, children, parents and physicians should be able to recognize the symptoms of mild concussion. MIAA and NCAA rules should prohibit athletes from returning to a game following a mild concussion. Preventative measures should be taken, whenever possible, to ensure the well-being of children in sports. Helmets should be worn to protect the head from injury.

Quantitative EEG or QEEG is a method of recording brain wave activity to determine cortical slowing in various areas of the brain. A QEEG involves the placement of electrodes on the scalp and enables recordings of brain activity with the eyes open or closed and during a variety of simple cognitive tasks. The QEEG may help to determine the source of a disruption in brain function resulting from a mild head injury. In some instances, diffuse axonal injuries may be identified with simultaneous recording of evoked potentials.

 

Cantu, R.C. (2007) Detection of postconcussion abnormalities after injury in young athletes. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, Sep;17(5), 435-436.