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Head and Brain Injuries in Youth

Research Shows

  • About 1 in 10 children experience a traumatic brain injury each year.
  • 14.35% of high school students in suburban Cook County report having had a concussion, according to the Cook County Health Altas.

On This Page:

Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries

Sports, play, and physical activity are important parts of growing up—but accidents and contact sports can also put children and teens at risk for concussions and other traumatic brain injuries.

Knowing what to look for and taking head injuries seriously can help parents, caregivers, coaches, and other adults protect a young person’s health.

A concussion or other brain injury can affect how a child thinks, learns, feels, sleeps, or moves, and some effects may last longer than expected. If a child experiences a blow or jolt to the head or body and you suspect a concussion, have them stop the activity and get evaluated by a healthcare professional.

This web page can help you recognize the signs of brain injury, understand recovery and return-to-activity guidance, learn about Illinois requirements, and find local care and other resources.

About Concussions:

A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury caused by a blow or jolt to the head or body that affects brain function.

Signs and Symptoms of a Concussion

Symptoms may appear immediately or hours later.

Thinking and Memory Symptoms
  • Confusion
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Trouble remembering recent events
Physical Symptoms
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Sensitivity to light or noise
  • Balance problems
Emotional or Behavioral Changes (Can occur later in life)
  • Irritability
  • Mood swings
  • Anxiety
  • Sadness
Sleep Changes
  • Sleeping more than usual
  • Trouble falling asleep

Any athlete with these symptoms should stop playing immediately and be evaluated by a healthcare professional.

Learn more: Signs and Symptoms of Concussion | HEADS UP | CDC

About Traumatic Brain Injuries:

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when an external force causes damage to the brain. Falls and firearm-related injuries lead to most moderate and severe traumatic brain injuries.

Traumatic brain injury can happen during contact sports such as
  • Football
  • Soccer
  • Hockey
  • Boxing
Traumatic brain injuries can also occur from
  • Falls
  • Bicycle crashes
  • Playground injuries
  • Motor vehicle accidents

Signs and Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury:

Most people with a moderate or severe traumatic brain injury have one or more symptoms after the injury. Symptoms include the following:

Thinking and Learning
  • Difficulty understanding and thinking clearly
  • Trouble communicating and learning
  • Problems concentrating
  • Difficulty remembering information
Motor Skills, Hearing, and Vision
  • Weakness in arms and legs
  • Problems with coordination and balance
  • Problems with hearing and vision
  • Changes in sensory perception, such as touch
Emotions/Mood
  • Feeling more emotional than usual
  • Nervousness or anxiety
  • Feeling more angry or aggressive than usual
  • Sadness, depression

Learn more: About Potential Effects of a Moderate or Severe TBI | Traumatic Brain Injury & Concussion | CDC

Long-Term Effects of Head and Brain Injuries:

Brain injuries are not only an immediate safety concern. They can affect health across a person’s entire life. Repeated head trauma has been associated with long-term neurological, psychiatric and complex medical conditions including:

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a brain disease that is associated with long-term exposure to repeated hits to the head. It causes brain cells to undergo cell death. CTE is associated with long-term exposure to repeated hits to the head (head impacts).

  • Early symptoms often include severe depression, mood swings, and irritability. Common changes associated with CTE include memory loss, confusion, dementia, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and paranoia. Learn more: Effects of repeated head trauma in young athletes
  • CTE cannot be diagnosed in a living person. It can only be confirmed after death through brain tissue examination. Learn more: Repeated Head Impacts
Alzheimer’s disease

Certain types of Traumatic Brain Injury may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia years after the injury takes place, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. In fact, young adults who experience a moderate or severe head injury have more than double the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia later in life, according to a British Medical Journal article published in the National Library of Medicine .

Parkinson’s disease

Having a single concussion increased the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease by 57% and dementia by 72%, according to a study cited by the Parkinson’s Foundation .

Depression

Suicide attempts are more common in individuals who have sustained a brain injury, and nearly half of all brain injury survivors report symptoms of depression, according to the Brain Injury Association of America . The risk of depression after brain injury increases whether the injury is mild, moderate, or severe. Symptoms include:

  • Feeling down or depressed
  • Changes in sleeping habits, such as sleeping poorly or sleeping more than usual
  • Loss of interest in activities or relationships
Chronic pain

A study published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation found that chronic pain affects approximately 60 percent of traumatic brain injury survivors, with some respondents reporting chronic pain up to 30 years post-injury. Learn more: Study Uncovers High Incidence of Chronic Pain after TBI – Brain Injury Association of America

Illinois Requirements

  • for Illinois Schools
  • for Park Districts
Learn More

Concussion Resources and Clinics

  • Concussion Resources
  • Local Concussion and Head Injury Clinics
  • Brain Injury Data
Learn More

Updated September 15, 2026, 12:07 PM