Sports-related head injuries.

Head injuries in sports cause serious long-term problems. Appropriate acute and subacute management of both catastrophic and mild injuries can prevent secondary, potentially disabling or fatal injury. By understanding the mechanism of injury, classification, and epidemiology of sports-related head injury, pediatricians can appropriately care for their athletic patients. The symptoms of a mild head injury may be transient, but the cumulative effect may have permanent long-term sequelae. Continued clinical, epidemiologic, and basic science research is needed to help prevent head injuries and their sequelae in the future.