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What is a concussion?
A concussion is a brain injury that can affect how the brain works. Concussions may happen because of a hit to the head, face, neck or somewhere else on the body.4 When a hit takes place, the brain moves or jiggles inside the skull. If it moves hard enough, the brain can become injured. This can make the brain and body work and feel different, and can affect how a person performs in all areas of life including at school.5
Not everyone reacts to a concussion in the same way. For some people, concussions heal quickly and for others, the road to recovery is longer.5 Whether a short or long recovery, all students can benefit from support from those involved in their lives.
As a Concussion Champion, it is important for you to know about concussions and how it impacts students.
Did you know?
You do not need to lose consciousness to have a concussion.4
You can experience different types of signs and symptoms4 after a concussion:
- physical (e.g. headaches, nausea, dizziness)
- cognitive (e.g. difficulty concentrating or remembering, fogginess, slowed thinking)
- emotional/behavioural (e.g. anxiety, sadness, irritability)
- sleep (sleeping more or less than usual, difficulty falling and staying asleep)
These symptoms can impact how a student performs at school.
Most concussions in youth resolve within 1 month, however 30% of youth will take longer to recover.6
Watch this!
Hear from Dr. Mike Evans about concussion management and return-to-learn
Watch this!
Listen to Maddy as she talks about what it is like to have a concussion at school
Here are some helpful websites with concussion information that you can check out:
