An estimated 300,000 sports- and recreation-related brain injuries occur in the U.S. each year. Most of these are concussions. Source: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

Your brain is responsible for your cognitive and physical abilities as well as your emotions, identity and behavior. It controls who you are and what you can do. Concussions, and other injuries to the brain, have widely varied consequences that range from mild to severe.

Signs & Symptoms The signs and symptoms of a concussion may be slight and may not be noticeable at first. Once they appear, they can last for days, weeks or longer. If you or your child has recently been hit in the head or fallen, watch for the following early signs. Early Signs: (minutes to hours) Lack of awareness of surroundings Headache Dizziness Nausea or vomiting

Late Signs or Symptoms: (days to weeks) Headaches Light-headedness Poor concentration Trouble with memory Irritability Fatigue Increased sensitivity to bright lights Increased sensitivity to loud noises Anxiety and/or depression Sleep disturbance

Measure • Monitor • Manage

All concussions should be evaluated by knowledgeable health professionals to measure severity, monitor progress over time, and properly manage the injury.

Just like any other body part, when injured, the brain requires time and rest to heal.

Athletes should refrain from participating in sports and other physical activity if any sign or symptom of concussion is present.

If an athlete sustains a concussion and returns to play before the symptoms have completely cleared, the athlete is at risk for “second impact syndrome”, which is characterized by brain swelling, permanent neurological damage, and even death.

Immediate identification and proper management of concussions can protect athletes from the negative consequences of additional concussions or “second impact syndrome”.

Did You Know?

• Most concussions do NOT involve loss of consciousness.
• You can sustain a concussion even if you do NOT hit your head.  An indirect blow elsewhere on the body can transmit an   “impulsive” force to the head and cause a concussion to the brain.
• Concussions typically do NOT appear in neuroimaging studies such as MRI or CAT Scans.