Important facts about child head trauma

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- While it's encouraged for kids to play outdoors as much as possible, parents need to make sure they are being safe while doing so.

Many children suffer from concussions on the field or ice, and it's important for adults to understand the signs, as well as prevention, for head injuries.

"Your head and your brain in particular isn't something that's easy to fix. It's not like breaking your arm and you wear a cast and it gets better. Often times head injuries, especially if you have repeated head injuries and concussions can lead to permanent problems and damage. So you want to be aware and you want to be careful so take care of your head," said Dina Morrissey of the Injury Prevention Center at Rhode Island Hospital.

A concussion is a bruising of the brain.

"You don't have to lose consciousness or blackout to have a concussion," explained Morrissey. "Signs of a concussion are that the child's disoriented, complaining of a headache, feeling nausea or vomiting, having difficulty with their vision, and anything like that."

There are certain steps to take if you think your child has a concussion.

"Have them checked out right away, not necessarily because there's something urgent you're going to do for a concussion, but to rule out that it's nothing worse. They don't have a skull fracture or bleed inside their head."

Concussions can have long-lasting consequences.

"It's really important with kids that play sports that if they do have a concussion they really stay out until they're completely healed. Because the other thing about concussions, if you have a concussion and then you go back too early and you get another head injury and another concussion it's far more likely to be a devastating injury," said Morrissey.

Head injuries can be prevented.

"If a child is getting repeated concussions they may want to talk to their coach and find out why. What's going on? Can my child play a different position? Is there something else? I don't want this to keep happening."

And wear proper equipment.

"Wearing a helmet reduces your risk of having a brain injury by about eighty five percent."

Make sure they wear it properly.

"Often times kids will wear the helmet way too far back on their head or the strap will be really loose or the strap won't be buckled at all. It's really not going to be that effective if it's like that," said Morrissey. "The way that you know a helmet fits properly if it fits kind of squarely on top of your head and level."

Helmets are necessary for several activities.

"In Rhode Island there's a law that says kids age fifteen and under must wear a helmet, basically when they're doing any kind of wheel sport. So riding a bike, riding a scooter, skateboarding, roller skating, anything like that."

And they aren't just for kids.

"Parents should be wearing a helmet also, every time they go on their bike. You certainly see families out there where all the kids are wearing a helmet, which is great, but the parents aren't. And not only for being a role model for your child, but you could fall could you get hit by a car, so you also want to protect your head."

It is important to know that concussions are common for both boys and girls, in sports that require helmets and those that don't.