- Vacant stare (befuddled facial expression)
- Delayed verbal expression (slower to answer questions or follow instructions)
- Inability to focus attention (easily distracted and unable to follow through with normal activities)
- Disorientation (walking in the wrong direction, unaware of time, date, place)
- Slurred or incoherent speech (making disjointed or incomprehensible statements)
- Gross observable incoordination (stumbling, inability to walk tandem/straight line)
- Emotionality out of proportion to circumstances (appearing distraught, crying for no apparent reason)
- Memory deficits (exhibited by patient repeatedly asking the same question that has already been answered or inability to memorize and return three of three words and three of three objects for five minutes)
- Any period of loss of consciousness (coma, unresponsiveness to stimuli)
How many concussions are safe? The short answer is the fewer the better with none being optimal The importance of the brain cannot be overstated and should be protected from injury. The long answer is well... long. The lack of data and research makes clinicians hesitant to state a number. Some sport teams have set limits but mostly out of fear of a lawsuit than from research. It is difficult to compare concussions because no two are alike. Complete recovery from a concussion is important to avoid cumulative injury from repeated concussions. Current guidelines focus of symptom resolution before allowing athletes to return to play
