80 percent of concussions will have the person appear as if they are alright, but when it comes to your child, it’s important to observe their behavior for any signs that show their injury is more serious. You may be in a panic and not want your child to sleep after a concussion but the fact is your child needs to sleep to heal and feel better. Your next question may be, then how often should I wake my child after a concussion? Village Emergency Centers is here to answer that question and more.
Normal Symptoms After A Concussion
The following are common symptoms found in patients after a concussion. These are normal and should subside within a few weeks.
- Sensitive to light and noise
- Dizziness, trouble balancing
- Lack of energy
- Headaches
- Nausea (in the beginning)
- Trouble seeing clearly
- Trouble concentrating
- Sleep irregularities
- Irritability
- Memory loss
What to Do After a Concussion Diagnosis
It’s important for your child to get as much rest as possible for the first 24 hours after a concussion. You don’t have to wake your child up every couple of hours unless you are otherwise instructed by your doctor. It is also important to note that your child needs rest from anything that might be harmful to their recovery such as noise, light, and other things that will affect their vision.
However, it is perfectly okay to check on them while they’re sleeping throughout the night. You should check that their breathing is normal, not too fast not too slow, if they are moaning, and/or if they are vomiting. Any of these symptoms signal that your child may be experiencing something more serious than a concussion.
Limit their reading, time they spend watching television, and playing video games. Also avoid exposing your child to bright lights, loud noises, and crowds in order to avoid worsening their symptoms. Remember that a concussion comes with symptoms that take some time to disappear and you wouldn’t want to do anything that will make them persist, but there is no need to panic as long as you keep a watchful eye on your child’s recovery process.
Warning Signs a Concussion is Not Improving
These are telltale signs that your child’s concussion may not be improving and should seek medical attention immediately.
- Is less alert, has trouble waking up/doesn’t wake up
- No appetite
- Blood is present in the nose or ears
- There’s bruising around the eyes
- Slurred speech/trouble speaking
- Vision loss, blurry/double vision
- Vomits more than twice
- Seizures
- Loses a skill (wets the bed)
- Weakness on one side of the body
How to Prevent Another Concussion
Patients that experienced a concussion are more likely to have another one in the near future. It is critical to avoid another concussion as much as possible as it could result in serious damage. It is also important to note that a second concussion in the middle of the healing process could cause serious brain trauma; this is the time to keep your child’s routine as simple as possible. The best ways to prevent another concussion from happening is by:
- Ensure that the sports teams your child is a part of has rules that restrict the amount of tackling or necessary contact of the head with the ball (such as in soccer.)
- Having your child wear a helmet for any high-risk physical activities such as skiing, biking, skateboarding or rollerblading.
- Your child should engage in low-risk activities such as drawing, playing with toys, and reading (if there are no troubling vision symptoms.)
If You Need to Stop By an ER
Stop at any of our three locations if your child is not feeling well after a concussion. There is much more to the treatment of concussions. If you are asking yourself, “How often should I wake my child after a concussion?” you can stop by one of our centers and we would be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have.