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Pediatric Concussions: What Parents Should Look For

May Bagnell, IHP, and Dr. Michael K. Bagnell unpack pediatric concussions in a conversation focused on what parents often miss. They explain how concussions can happen in everyday childhood moments, why symptoms may show up as behavior or school changes, and when a head injury should be treated as an emergency.We discuss the difference between obvious injuries and subtle concussion signs, why children may compensate for weeks before symptoms surface, and how baseline brain testing can help with future comparisons.

Key topics

• In this episode, May Bagnell and Dr. Michael K. Bagnell explain that children absolutely can get concussions, and they may present differently than adults.
• They cover common causes in kids, including skateboarding, bicycling, playground falls, home accidents, and even running into furniture or into another child.
• Dr. Bagnell emphasizes that parents often notice a child is just "different" after a hit, even when there is no obvious emergency symptom.
• Behavioral changes discussed include clinginess, crying, emotional reactivity, anxiety, aggression toward siblings, and personality shifts.
• They explain that symptoms can be subtle in younger children, making it important to observe sleep, headaches, focus, attention, and concentration over time.
• The conversation highlights how the brain may compensate after injury, which can make a child seem fine even when function has changed.
• They break down pediatric brain function into three domains: movement, executive function, and social-emotional health.
• They discuss when to treat a head injury as urgent, including bleeding, loss of consciousness, vomiting, breathing concerns, or cervical spine concerns.
• They also note that concussion can happen without a direct blow to the head, including from whiplash.
• Dr. Bagnell explains why baseline testing can be useful before sports or during development, especially for balance, eye tracking, and brain function comparison.
• The episode closes with stories showing how untreated pediatric concussion can affect academics, emotions, sports participation, and long-term well-being, while early rehab can support recovery.

Timestamps

00:00 - Why pediatric concussions are often overlooked
01:09 - Yes, kids can get concussions
01:37 - Common causes: sports, playgrounds, and home falls
02:33 - Why subtle injuries can be missed at first
03:44 - Clinginess, emotion, and behavior changes parents notice
04:21 - Anxiety and aggression after head impacts
05:42 - Why kids may compensate and look "fine"
07:07 - What happens when care turns into "just wait a month"
08:13 - The three domains: movement, executive function, and social-emotional health
09:06 - Focus, concentration, and attention as warning signs
10:07 - Which head injury looks like an emergency?
11:32 - Concussion can happen without a direct hit
12:18 - What parents should watch in the first week
13:47 - Why baseline testing matters before sports
15:05 - Impact testing, eye tracking, balance, and EEG response
16:18 - Brain health screening as part of childhood care
17:14 - Early intervention for anxiety, ADHD, OCD, and depression risks
18:29 - A current patient recovering well after a minor impact
19:44 - A football practice injury affected mood and school
20:59 - A case where a neurologist said children don't get concussions
21:54 - A bullying-related concussion with vestibular and walking issues
22:55 - Why healing brains matters for future emotional health
23:16 - Soccer heading and serious emotional consequences
24:27 - How parents can ask better questions and support healing
25:22 - Closing reminder: you can heal, and we can help

#concussions #concussionrecovery #pediatricconcussions #brainhealth #brainoptimization #kids #kidssports

For more information, visit us at www.bagnellbraincenter.com.

You CAN Heal! We CAN Help!!