Spring brings not only flowers but more outdoor sports. Children's games may not be as rough and tumble as professional sports, but they can still be seriously injured when playing contact sports. Head injuries, specifically, concussions are common and should be taken very seriously — perhaps more seriously by parents and physicians than is currently the case.

Language may be everything in this case. Many brain and spinal cord experts believe concussions should be thought of as a mild traumatic brain injury. In a recent study at McMasters University, Ontario, Canada, researchers found that physicians and parents treated concussions with much less concern and care than mild traumatic brain injuries. The records of over 400 children were reviewed and those diagnosed with concussions (32%) were released from the hospital earlier, and allowed to return to school sooner than children diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injuries.

Remarkably, families tended not view concussions as actual brain injuries, while many physicians considered them as “separate diagnostic categories.” However, the researchers contend that a concussion and a mild traumatic brain injury are both brain injuries of comparable weight. They recommended retiring the term concussion and only using the term mild traumatic brain injury in the hope that more physicians will take these injuries seriously. Children with concussions who return to school before a full recovery may experience confusion, see a drop in their grades, and risk further brain injury.

This isn't just semantics, the current diagnostic criteria for concussions is confusing and ambiguous. Regardless of what it's called, a hard knock to the head should always be taken seriously. You know your child best, even if your physician gives the green-light to leave the hospital and return to normal activities, if your instincts say more rest and observation are in order, then follow through with that.

Here are the basic signs and symptoms of a concussion:

• headache or a feeling in the head of “pressure”
• vomiting or nausea
• double or blurry vision
• balance problems or dizziness
• sensitivity to light or noise
• grogginess, or feeling sluggish
• memory problems and/or confusion
• numbness or tingling
• difficulty in paying attention

Concussions don't always involve loss of consciousness. See a healthcare provider immediately if you, or your child, have any one or combination of the above symptoms after a head injury.