BY KELLY LYELL (The Coloradoan)
KellyLyell@coloradoan.com

A kid playing youth football tells his coach he has a headache after colliding with another player.

A soccer player appears dazed after bumping heads with an opponent as both are trying to gain control of the ball.

A baseball player takes a bad-hop grounder off the forehead and says his vision is a bit fuzzy.

A hockey player reports feeling sick to his stomach moments after hitting his helmeted head hard on the ice when checked by an opponent.

All of these are signs of a concussion or other traumatic brain injury, and a new education program launched by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants to make sure parents and coaches of young athletes are able to recognize that. Additional blows to the head before the first brain injury heals, can cause serious, long-term brain damage, researchers said.

"Children are at a greater risk because of the development of the brain and because the number of hours they participate in sports and other recreational activites, even bike riding, is higher than any other age group," said Dr. Julie Gilchrist, a medical epidemiologist and pediatrician who helped develop the "Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports" campaign.

The CDC has created a tool kit for youth sports coaches, parents and athletes to help them recognize the signs, symptoms and proper steps to take when a concussion is suspected. It includes fact sheets for coaches, parents and athletes, a list of signs and symptoms and prevention tips and an action plan. The free tool kit can be ordered and downloaded, free of charge, online at www.cdc.gov/ConcussionIn-YouthSports.

"It's really streamlined information about recognizing, responding and preventing TBIs (traumatic brain injuries)," Gilchrist said.

Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries can occur in any sport or activity and are caused by a blow or bump to the head that disrupts the way the brain normally works.