Parent’s Guide to Concussions with DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan

At LittleGuide Detroit, we want to make life easier for parents – which often times includes sharing cool new destinations, but also information about the best resources for your family as well – including the best pediatric hospital. No one plans for their child to get hurt, whether it’s on the playground, playing field or at home, but when head injuries occur, they are scary. That’s why we sat down with Dr. Mitchel Williams from DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan’s Concussion Clinic to give you the “fast five” on pediatric head injuries to help you in an emergency. 

Children are constantly growing and changing, so pediatric physicians are trained to understand standard development timelines to best identify and treat problems. Here is Dr. Mitchel Williams, Pediatric Neurologist and Medical Director at DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan Concussion Clinic, advice to parents who are worried about concussions:

The most common cause of concussion is sports, and not just contact sports. Participants in gymnastics and cheer can suffer from concussions, just as much as if they were playing soccer. If your child experiences a head injury while playing or practicing, they should immediately sit out – even if they don’t show signs of a concussion.

Signs of concussions include headache, dizziness, and blurred vision. These symptoms tend to occur within the first 6 hours of an injury but can take up to 24 hours to appear. Sleeping is okay and can help the brain recover.

If you notice a change of behavior in your child, if they have nausea or are vomiting, complaining of a headache or general weakness – take them to urgent care or the emergency room. These are red flag symptoms that need to be monitored.

If you are concerned your child has a concussion, take the Concussion Clinic of DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan’s Concussion Quiz. DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best children’s hospitals in the country, and the clinic is a multi-disciplinary clinic designed to identify and treat neurological injuries and illness in children.

To learn more about the Concussion Clinic at DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan, or to make an appointment with a pediatric specialists, visit childrensdmc.org/concussionclinic or call 313.832.9366.