MONTREAL - Recognizing the signs and symptoms of concussion as well as the need for proper recovery time were issues trauma doctors were trying to get into the heads of young athletes Saturday.

Hockey Canada organized the seminar, held at the Westin Hotel on St. Antoine W., to bring information about the insidious sports injury to the forefront. It served as a reminder to sports lovers and their parents to treat all head injuries with care and respect, said organizers.

"There have been so many serious, serious head injuries -- not only to professional athletes but primarily young children -- so we need to create this awareness of just how serious these injuries are," said sport psychologist Paul Dennis.

If you're feeling a little off after playing a contact sport, it may point to a concussion, said emergency room physician Scott Delaney.

"The most common symptom is headaches, followed by feeling dinged or confused -- so just not feeling quite right," said Delaney.

Former junior hockey player Kevin Mailhiot said he chose law school over hockey, after suffering seven concussions.

"I decided to go to school because my future was there and I think today it was a good decision," he said.

Often the problem isn't the concussion, but rather, when to return to the ice, court or field. Experts at the seminar said many athletes who suffer concussions don't allow themselves enough time to heal, because there's tremendous pressure to return to the game as quickly as possible.

"It's almost a badge of courage to come back before they've healed, and they equate playing injured as a sign of toughness," said Dennis.

Steve Donahue said tough or not, his teenage son took a break from rugby after a concussion, because it was important he heal.

"They made such point of making sure that we knew how serious it was for him to curtail his activities, so we followed the instructions," said Donahue.

Not all parents listen, though, said Montreal Children's Hospital trauma director Debbie Friedman.

"The second the child is feeling a little bit better, the child feels like they want to return, and the parents feel they're ready to return," she said.

Amateur hockey player Connor McRae agreed, saying pressure puts them back in the game.

"There's pressure that you're putting on yourself, plus pressure coaches are putting on you," he said. "You don't want to disappoint."