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My 14 Year Old Daughter Hit Her Head On The Ground During Soccer Today. The Trainer Did A Baseline Concussion Test And Said She Has Symptoms Of A Mild Concussion And She Is Sluggish And Seems A "foggy". She Just Got A Bloody Nose. The Trainer Said To Watch Her For 24 Hours And If Her Symptoms Don't Improve Bring Her To The Doctor. I Am Just Wondering If We Should Go Ahead And Take Her In Or Wait And See How She Is Tomorrow?
Question: My 14 year old daughter hit her head on the ground during soccer today. The trainer did a baseline concussion test and said she has symptoms of a mild concussion. She says her headache is a 7.5 out of 10 and she is sluggish and seems a "foggy". She just got a bloody nose. The trainer said to watch her for 24 hours and if her symptoms don't improve bring her to the doctor. I am just wondering if we should go ahead and take her in or wait and see how she is tomorrow. Any guidance you can provide is appreciated!
Thanks
Thanks
Brief Answer:
Would wait for now.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Some headache and fogginess are common after a concussion. Improvement is very gradual, some symptoms may persist for some time, for days and weeks even. The only means to counter that is physical and psychological rest. There is not something else that the doctor will be able to add whether you take her to the doctor today or tomorrow.
The reason the trainer said to take her to the doctor is to make sure that there isn't something more than a mild concussion going on, that there is not something more serious like a brain hemorrhage for example. The risk of that happening is mainly in the first 24 hours, that is why it's always advised to keep a trauma patient under observation during the first 24 hours. Whether there are any indications of something more serious going on from your account, no, there aren't, as I said some headache and fogginess is common. Symptoms which would constitute a red flag, which should prompt you to take her to the doctor right away would be intense or increasing headache, vomiting, double vision or visual loss, speech changes, weakness of the limbs on one side, balance and coordination issues, confusion, seizures. If such symptom appear then should be taken to emergency room for head imaging.
If improving (mind you some mild symptoms may take some time to completely go away) then I wouldn't bother taking her to the doctor. If symptoms remain the same, with no improvement or worsening, then while in the absence of the above symptoms there is no reason for panic, I would take her to the doctor as the trainer said in order to make sure there isn't some subtle sign you might have missed which might indicate the need for brain imaging.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Would wait for now.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Some headache and fogginess are common after a concussion. Improvement is very gradual, some symptoms may persist for some time, for days and weeks even. The only means to counter that is physical and psychological rest. There is not something else that the doctor will be able to add whether you take her to the doctor today or tomorrow.
The reason the trainer said to take her to the doctor is to make sure that there isn't something more than a mild concussion going on, that there is not something more serious like a brain hemorrhage for example. The risk of that happening is mainly in the first 24 hours, that is why it's always advised to keep a trauma patient under observation during the first 24 hours. Whether there are any indications of something more serious going on from your account, no, there aren't, as I said some headache and fogginess is common. Symptoms which would constitute a red flag, which should prompt you to take her to the doctor right away would be intense or increasing headache, vomiting, double vision or visual loss, speech changes, weakness of the limbs on one side, balance and coordination issues, confusion, seizures. If such symptom appear then should be taken to emergency room for head imaging.
If improving (mind you some mild symptoms may take some time to completely go away) then I wouldn't bother taking her to the doctor. If symptoms remain the same, with no improvement or worsening, then while in the absence of the above symptoms there is no reason for panic, I would take her to the doctor as the trainer said in order to make sure there isn't some subtle sign you might have missed which might indicate the need for brain imaging.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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