A concussion is an injury to the brain caused by sudden strong movement of the brain against the skull. 

This is caused by a collision with another person or object. A child does not need to be knocked out (lose consciousness) to have a concussion. 

Most concussion injuries do not involve any loss of consciousness, so it is important to be on the lookout for warning signs that could appear immediately after a bump to the head or body or over the following hours and days. 

See the Concussion and mild head injury fact sheet for more information.

If your child has obtained a knock to the head, it is important to note the time the incident occurred, record any symptoms and the severity of the symptoms. These include:   

Signs observed by others: 

• appearing dazed or stunned
• repeating questions
• problems remembering before or after the injury
• confused about events
• showing personality or behaviour changes.

Symptoms reported by the child: 

• headache or “pressure” in the head
• dizziness or loss of balance
• nausea or vomiting
• numbness/tingling
• feeling tired, fatigued or slowed down
• visual problems, for example, double vision
• sensitivity to light or noise
• drowsiness
• trouble sleeping
• does not “feel right”
• feeling more emotional, for example, sad or nervous
• trouble thinking clearly, concentrating or remembering.

See the Australian Sports Commission- Concussion guidelines for youth and community sport for more information.