Nausea and vomiting, confusion, and vision problems are all possible symptoms of a concussion. You may also have:

• Headache that gets worse
• Dizziness
• Memory loss
• Mood changes
• Seizures

If you have one or more of these symptoms after a head injury, you should seek emergency care. It’s important to remember that a concussion may leave you too confused to make the right decision. Family and friends will need to make sure you get the care you need.

Wearing a helmet for activities such as skiing, horseback riding, bicycle or motorcycle riding, contact sports, and snowboarding is one of many ways to prevent a concussion. Other ways include:

• Wear a seatbelt when riding in a motor vehicle
• Properly secure children in car seats
• Don’t drink and drive
• Get rid of things in your home that could cause you to trip

Call your child’s healthcare provider right away or take your child to the emergency department if he or she:

• Vomits multiple times
• Has a bad headache that gets worse
• Becomes drowsy and is hard to wake up
• Acts different than normal
• Has difficulty walking
• Has speech or vision problems
• Has a stiff neck
• Has a seizure
• Has weakness or numbness in any part of the body