Concussions: What you need to know

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A concussion is a type of brain injury caused when there’s either a direct trauma to the head or a rapid acceleration and deceleration of the head, causing the brain to be crushed against the inside of the skull.

The tricky thing about recognizing concussions is that although they can lead to loss of consciousness, they often don’t.

The most common immediate symptoms are confusion, disorientation, and amnesia.

READ MORE: Concussions ‘becoming an epidemic problem’ in Canadian kids

People also report headache, dizziness, and nausea and vomiting within minutes to hours, and eventually, over a few days, disturbances in mood, brain function and sleep.

Unfortunately, we’re seeing more and more concussions in young people who play sports.

In Ontario, 20.2 per cent of students between Grades 7 and 12 have suffered a concussion, with most of these being related to sports.

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We also saw a 70 per cent increase in the number of concussion cases among school-aged children seen in the emergency room or doctor’s offices, between 2003 and 2010.

Most of these injuries are caused by player-to-player contact.

In Canada, hockey or skating are the most common causes, whereas in the U.S. football is a major cause, with 10 per cent of college and 20 per cent of high school football players affected each year.

In fact, actual numbers are likely much higher, because players often play through concussions.

This only increases the risk of another concussion or a more serious brain injury.

We’ve known for years now that repeated concussions can cause cumulative and permanent brain damage including degeneration and “tau” protein accumulation in the brain, which is called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.

READ MORE: Concussions in kids can be detected by a new blood test: study

This can cause long-term changes in behavior and personality, depression, and even suicide.

Although we knew this happened in boxers, it was in 2002 that a pathologist named Bennet Omalu first described CTE in the brain of an NFL player.

And although the NFL initially tried to discredit Omalu’s work (this is the subject of actor Will Smith’s new movie “Concussion”), CTE is now a well-recognized consequence of both football and hockey.

The good news is that sports groups and politicians are now starting to pay attention.

Both the NFL and the NHL now recognize the need for equipment and rule changes.

As for younger athletes, this week, our federal ministers of health and sports announced a plan for a national concussion strategy.

Also, on Nov. 25, Rowan’s Law was introduced in the Ontario legislature, named in honour of a 17-year-old Ontario high school rugby player who died from a brain injury due to a concussion.

This bill has all party support, and if it passes, it will be the first concussion law in the country.

It calls for measures such as education for young athletes, coaches and parents, immediately removing athletes from play if a concussion is suspected, and ensuring medical clearance before return to play.