BioMedical Engineering

Concussion

when your brain loves your skull too much

By: Zouli Alexandratos, Journalist

January 27, 2025

Human brain

Concussions are brain injuries. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells. These changes in the brain lead to symptoms that may affect how a child thinks, learns, feels, acts, and sleeps. Symptoms are usually most severe right after the injury. Learn more about the signs and symptoms of concussion. Concussions should be taken seriously because they can produce changes in your child’s brain, body, and behavior. Most children with a concussion feel better within 2 to 4 weeks. However, some children have symptoms that effect their behavior, mood, memory, or emotions for months or longer. Symptoms that stay around can affect children as they grow up and even through adulthood. Concussion symptoms can make it hard to do regular activities at home and school. Having a history of previous concussions or experiencing more severe symptoms right after the concussion increases the chance that a child will have a longer recovery. A child with multiple concussions also has a greater chance of experiencing chronic health problems later on. Avoid repeat head impacts and concussions. Exposure to repeated head impacts increases the chance for concussions and other TBIs, as well as the potential for changes in the brain and brain diseases. There’s a bigger risk of more serious and longer-lasting symptoms when a child has multiple concussions. This is especially true when there’s not enough healing time between injuries. A child with a history of multiple concussions also may have: