Whenever a person has received a significant bump or knock on the head, they should always be checked over just in case they have concussion. A person with concussion, caused by the brain being ‘shaken’ within the skull by a blow to the head, may seem fine at first but may develop more serious symptoms later on.
If you have first aid training, you will be able to recognize the potential signs of concussion in a person who has had a head injury. As well as helping the person to recover properly and safely, a trained first aider will also know when they need to seek medical aid for a person with concussion.
Recognising the signs of concussion
In addition to a person having had a bump on the head, as a result of sports injuries, traffic incidents and falls to name but a few, there are other signs that a person may have concussion. The person may experience:
• A brief period of impaired consciousness
• Nausea or dizziness
• Loss of memory
• Generalised headache
Treatment
Whenever concussion is suspected, the affected person should be monitored closely in case their symptoms worsen. In most cases, people with concussion make full recoveries.
