John Elflein
Research expert covering health and health care
Concussion occurs when the head or body is hit or shaken hard enough that it moves and injures the brain. A concussion is also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and is the most common type of such injuries. Symptoms of concussion include, but are not limited to, headache, nausea, difficulty concentrating and thinking clearly, and dizziness. In more extreme cases concussion can cause one to lose consciousness, and repeated concussions can lead to long-term problems affecting speech, learning, and memory, however, most people fully recover from concussions given rest and time. In 2020, it was estimated that around 6.8 percent of children and adolescents in the United States aged 0 to 17 years had experienced symptoms of concussion or brain injury at some point in their life.
Concussion and brain injury among children and adolescents
Children and adolescents are particularly at risk of experiencing concussion and brain injury due to their bodies still developing and a high level of physical activity. In 2020, it was estimated that almost four percent of children and adolescents in the U.S. aged 0 to 17 years had been diagnosed with a concussion or brain injury at some point during their life. The probability of being diagnosed rises significantly with age, with over eight percent of those aged 12 to 17 years diagnosed at some time. Concussion and brain injury is also more common among boys than girls, with 4.7 percent of boys diagnosed compared to 3.1 percent of girls. One frequent cause of concussion among children and adolescents is through the playing of sports. It was estimated that in 2021, around 12 percent of high school students in the United states had a concussion from playing sports or being physically active in the last 12 months.Death from traumatic brain injury
Severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can cause similar, but more serious symptoms to a concussion, but can also result in permanent brain damage that requires physical or speech therapy, or even death. In 2022, there were over 70,000 deaths in the United States related to traumatic brain injury. Those aged 75 years and older account for the highest number of such deaths, with older people much more likely to die from a traumatic brain injury related to falling. The most common causes of traumatic brain injury-related death in the United States are suicide, unintentional falls, and unintentional motor vehicle crashes.
