What to Do If Your Child Has a Concussion: A Parent’s Guide
Seeing your child get a knock to the head can be frightening. The good news is that most concussions in children are mild, and with the right care and monitoring, your child can recover safely at home. While no brain damage occurs to your child during a concussion, there is often impairment of brain functions, even though there may be no visible injury. Symptoms can show up immediately, or in the hours or days after the hit. That’s why knowing how to respond matters.
1. Recognise the Signs of a Concussion
After a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, watch your child closely for signs that suggest their brain was affected. These can include headache or pressure in the head, dizziness or balance problems, feeling unusually tired or foggy, trouble concentrating, sensitivity to light or noise, irritability, nausea, or changes in mood or behaviour. These symptoms may appear straight away but can also develop over the next 24–48 hours.
If your child shows any of the following danger signs, seek emergency care immediately:
- Convulsions or seizures
- Loss of consciousness or increasing drowsiness
- Repeated or forceful vomiting
- A headache that is getting worse or doesn’t go away
- Difficulty walking, talking, or seeing clearly
- One pupil larger than the other
- Weakness or numbness in the arms or legs
- Unusual confusion, agitation or restlessness
- Clear fluid or blood coming from the nose or ears
- Trouble waking up or staying awake
- Significant behaviour changes
These can be signs of a more serious brain injury and need urgent assessment by a doctor or emergency medical team.
2. Immediate Care and Pain Relief
If your child’s symptoms are mild and there are no danger signs, you can begin care at home. This is often a great time to see a concussion physiotherapist, to determine what systems have been impaired, and exercise/rehab advice to address this.
For pain, your healthcare professional may advise acetaminophen (e.g., paracetamol) to help ease headaches. Medications that thin the blood, like aspirin or ibuprofen, are generally avoided in the very early period after a head injury unless a doctor explicitly approves them.
3. Let Them Sleep – It’s Not Dangerous
A big myth about concussion is that children must be kept awake after a head injury. Current medical advice is that sleep is beneficial and safe. In fact, letting your child sleep and rest as needed supports the healing process. There’s no need to wake them up repeatedly during the night if they are sleeping normally, as long as there are no dangerous symptoms.
Encourage your child to maintain a regular sleep routine and let them nap during the day if they feel tired. Their brain is working hard to recover.
4. Relative Rest Is Key
In the first 24–48 hours after a concussion, your child needs what clinicians call “relative rest”. This means a break from activities that require intense physical exertion or mental concentration. Avoid organised sports, running around, and activities that could risk a second injury — another blow while still recovering can be dangerous.
Relative rest also includes limiting screen time — phones, tablets, computers, and TV — at least initially, as these can trigger symptoms or slow recovery. Light activity like short walks around the house or yard is fine, socialising in a quiet environment, household tasks are encouraged as long as it doesn’t worsen symptoms.
Your child may also need to stay home from school or daycare for a few days, gradually returning once symptoms ease. Keeping teachers and caregivers informed helps them adjust expectations and support your child’s recovery.
5. Follow‑Up and Return to Normal Activities
Recovery from a concussion can take days to weeks. Children typically take longer to recover compared to an adult, but most will improve steadily. It’’s important to follow guidance from your healthcare provider regarding when your child can safely resume normal activities, including school and sports. Pushing too hard too soon can delay recovery.
In summary: If your child has a concussion, recognise the signs, seek urgent care for danger symptoms, use safe pain relief, let them sleep and rest, and practise relative rest in the first days after the injury. Get them assessed so they can start doing productive rehab to restore their function and impairment!
Physiotherapist Noah Bennet performs Concussion Physiotherapy Assessments at Pathways Physiotherapy. You can call us on 97522368, or book online HERE.