Concussions and Head Injuries in Children
Care instructions
What is a concussion?
A concussion is a brain injury caused by an impact or hit (also called a direct blow) to the head, face, or neck. A concussion can also be caused by a blow to the body that sends a force to the head. Your child can have a concussion even if they don’t pass out (lose consciousness).
Your child’s doctor can diagnose a concussion based on a history of a blow to the body or head, the symptoms that your child reports, and the tests that the doctor does. Medical imaging tests such as x-rays, CT scans, or MRI scans may be used to make sure there is not a more severe type of brain injury (such as a brain bleed) or a broken bone.
A concussion may be called a minor head trauma or minor brain injury. It may also be called a head injury or a mild traumatic brain injury. A simple hit to the head without any signs or symptoms is not a concussion, however sometimes it can take a few minutes or hours for the symptoms of a concussion to start after the initial injury.
What are the symptoms of a concussion?
Symptoms of a concussion may include:
- having a headache
- feeling dizzy
- feeling sick to your stomach or vomiting
- being sleepy (drowsy)
- having a hard time waking up, falling asleep, or staying asleep
- having a hard time concentrating, paying attention, or remembering
- being anxious, depressed, or cranky (irritable)
- vision, hearing, or sensory changes
- poor balance or coordination
- feeling foggy
These symptoms will usually last for a few days to weeks. Most children and teens will stop showing signs and symptoms and fully recover within one month. If your child has had a concussion before or has migraine disease, it may take longer for them to recover.
When does my child need emergency care?
Even if your child has already been seen by a doctor and you know your child has a concussion, go to your nearest emergency department right away if your child has any of these symptoms:
- a headache that gets worse after taking headache medicine or includes vomiting or waking up at night
- sudden weakness in the arms or legs
- being a lot more confused than usual, or behaviour that is combative and different than normal
- is harder to wake up than usual
- vomiting that won’t stop
- slurred speech
- new onset of trouble seeing or a lot of difficulty with vision or hearing
- a lot of trouble walking, moving their arms and legs, or talking
- seizures
What does my child need in the first 1 to 2 days after a concussion?
Your child should stay home from school or daycare and avoid intense physical and mental activity for the first 1 to 2 days to let the brain heal and prevent another concussion. Reducing both physical and mental activities like this for 1 to 2 days is typically called relative rest. Make sure also not to let your child participate in any activities that have a risk of falling or getting hit in the head again, especially in the first few days or when they have symptoms that persist. Relative rest, taking breaks when needed, and avoiding another head injury are the most important treatments right after a concussion.
Rest means your child‘s physical activity is limited to walking and light exercise that doesn’t cause them to sweat. Mental activities during relative rest will depend on your child’s age. Looking down may provoke symptoms, so consider activities like listening to music or audiobooks, colouring using an easel, being read a story, or playing board games that don’t involve a lot of looking down at the pieces. Studies show that screen time should be reduced in the first 2 days after a concussion.
How can I care for my child as they recover?
The following tips will help you care for your child as they recover from a concussion.
- Give your child prescription medicines as directed by your child’s healthcare provider.
- You can give your child over-the-counter pain medicine (ibuprofen such as Advil or Motrin or acetaminophen such as Tylenol) for the first few days.
- Follow the instructions on the bottle for the dose your child needs.
- Don’t give your child ibuprofen or acetaminophen regularly for more than 2 weeks as that may lead to headaches caused by the pain medicine (called medication overuse headache).
- Make sure your child eats and drinks normally and that they are drinking enough water.
- Limit any caffeine your child gets from coffee, tea, chocolate, carbonated drinks, energy drinks, and some over-the-counter medicines for 4 to 6 hours before bedtime.
- Don’t let your child drive for the first 2 days (if your child has a driver’s licence).
- Warn your teen that they should not drink alcohol or take recreational drugs, including cannabis (marijuana), as those drugs may hide signs and symptoms of a concussion. They may also make your child feel worse or delay their recovery.
- Gradually return to your school and sport activities as described in the handout called: Concussions and head injuries in children: Returning to school and sport.
- Follow a bedtime and wake-up routine for your child. Help them to:
- Go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time each day.
- Do something relaxing before bed, such as taking a warm bath about 1 hour before bed.
- Take only 1 nap a day (if they nap) and nap before 3 p.m., for no longer than 30 minutes. They should nap in a bed (not in front of a TV).
- Avoid spending long periods of time in bed during the day. Keep your child’s bed as a place to sleep—have them get up and move around to other places in the home during the day.
- Avoid screen time (computer, tablet, and smartphone time including video games, texting, and reading online) for at least 60 minutes before bed.
Supporting your child
Children often have mood changes and anxiety as they recover from a brain injury. Many children worry about failing at school or not being active. Worrying may make symptoms worse or make recovery time longer. Let your child know that having these feelings is normal and offer encouragement and support. Some children may need support from a counsellor or a psychologist.
Studies show that being active and including periods of activity where symptoms temporarily get a little bit worse (increase by 1-2 points out of 10) for a short time (lasting less than an hour) can help with recovery.
Your child’s doctor may also prescribe exercises or refer your child to a physiotherapist to support returning to activity and exercise. Seeing a physiotherapist can be especially helpful if your child has symptoms of dizziness, neck pain, or headaches that are persisting. Seeing an occupational therapist can be helpful with planning return to learning and to help with pacing, concentration, and cognitive challenges.
If your child is not better after 4 weeks, talk to your healthcare provider and ask if a referral to another healthcare professional could be helpful. Some of the doctors that your child may be referred to for further evaluation include a pediatrician (a doctor who specializes in children’s health), a sport medicine doctor, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, or a neurologist.
Returning to normal activities
If your child seems to be doing well after 1 to 2 days of relative rest, they should start doing more activity, starting with returning to activities of daily living that do not involve risk of injury. They should take breaks as needed. To guide their activity, use the principle that symptoms may get a little bit worse, but this should be mild and brief.
- Mild means that if your child thinks of their symptoms on a scale of 0 to 10, the new activity only makes the symptoms worse by 0 to 2 points. For example, you and your child can picture a scale like the example below to measure symptoms before and after an activity.
- Brief means that your child’s symptoms go back to the level that they were at before the activity within 1 hour.
The activities that your child returns to should not have any risk of contact, collision, or fall. Return to Sport and Return to Learn Strategies to guide your child’s return to activities. Your child should not return to any at-risk activities if they have any concussion-related symptoms—they could sustain a more serious injury. Before returning to at-risk activities after a concussion, your child should be cleared by a healthcare professional.
To see this information online and learn more, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca/health/pages/conditions.aspx?Hwid=custom.ab_concussion_ac_child.
Related to Concussion and Head Injuries in Children
For 24/7 nurse advice and general health information call Health Link at 811.
Current as of: March 2, 2026
Author: Children's Health, Alberta Health Services
This material is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified health professional. This material is intended for general information only and is provided on an "as is", "where is" basis. Although reasonable efforts were made to confirm the accuracy of the information, Alberta Health Services does not make any representation or warranty, express, implied or statutory, as to the accuracy, reliability, completeness, applicability or fitness for a particular purpose of such information. Alberta Health Services expressly disclaims all liability for the use of these materials, and for any claims, actions, demands or suits arising from such use.
