Coaches and parents may have to make immediate decisions about how to respond to a blow to the head. The blow may be from impact with another player, the ball, or the ground. Some trauma can result in slow bleeds or swelling that need immediate and continuing assessment. We urge you to be cautious and follow the following guides.

• First, any bump on the head is serious–until time and observation prove that it isn’t.
• Second, the consequences of returning to play too soon (before all symptoms disappear and a physician says it’s okay) can be very serious.

You cannot be too careful if there is a blow to the head of one of your players. Here’s a web site with some useful information: FamilyDoctor.org. Check out that site for a description of symptoms of concussion and appropriate response. But, their recommendation “…if your concussion is very mild, you may be allowed to return to play after 15 or 20 minutes” is not a decision you should make.