Ditching Mom's Advice
When Will, my Dear Husband, was in 6th grade he disregarded his mother's warnings and he, his brother and a friend went down to play in the drainage ditch near his home. They never intended to tell their mother, but that's not the way it went down.
Will was walking down the steep side of the drainage ditch when he slipped on a bit of wet moss. He slid and fell and was knocked out. His little brother was terribly frightened and ran home to get their mom.
To this day, Will doesn't recall the fall, his mother picking him up or going home. While he was talking and seemed coherent, he was acting very strange. At home they put him in a cold shower, and that is where the story resumes in Will's memory. When he was still a little off the next day {Mother's Day}, his parent's took him to the doctor. He was diagnosed with a mild concussion. He went home and resumed his life, going to school the next day, etc.
Not only does Will not remember the incident, he has a hard time remembering much of his childhood prior to that fall. Clearly, this fall caused a traumatic brain injury, yet neither his parents nor the doctors took it very seriously. Until recently, this has been the norm.
Austin's Story
Remember Austin Trenum from Monday's post, the high school senior who committed suicide after suffering a concussion in a football game? Well, neither Austin nor his parents and coaches realized the risks associated with concussions and how best to treat this injury. They do now.
After Austin suffered the blow that caused his concussion on a Friday night, he rested by playing video games, hanging out with friends and family, texting, watching game film from the night before, doing his homework, etc. On Sunday evening he had plans to go over to his girlfriend's house to watch an NFL game on TV, but instead he went upstairs to his bedroom and hanged himself.
Austin's family was devastated and shocked; they had no explanation for this action. That is, not until they donated his brain to the Boston University Center for Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy. You can read more about what BU's CSTE is doing with their research on brains and concussions in Monday's post.
Armed with the information that Austin had suffered at least one previous concussion and probably several more before the last concussion, Austin's parents were able to understand more about their son's injuries and his state of mind on that fateful day.
On the day he died, he told his parents that he had been getting what he called a "football headache" after every game. This was not something he had shared with them before. Looking back over the last two days of his life, his parents noticed some things that were odd or out of character for Austin; subtle things, nothing that would have tipped them off that he might be about to commit suicide.
Tips for a Full Recovery
Austin's parents thought he was getting adequate rest to allow his brain to heal, but they now know that he shouldn't have been texting, driving, watching film, playing video games, doing homework or anything that stimulates the brain after his traumatic brain injury. (You can read more about Austin on Education Week.)
The experts say rest, both physical and mental, is the most important treatment for mild traumatic brain injuries, such as a concussion. It's very important to make sure that you or your child seeks medical attention after a fall or jolt or hit that is followed by the telltale concussion symptoms, as outlined in Tuesday's post.
In many states, it's now the law that coaches must ensure that players with concussions do not participate in practices or games until receiving the go ahead from a doctor. It's extremely important that these provisions are followed; it could be the difference between life and death for that injured student athlete. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sets out this 4-Step Action Plan if a young athlete suffers from a concussion.
However, it's not just athletes that should be taking precautions. While using a computer or playing a game or sending a text may not seem like activities that cause much mental concentration or exertion, the Mayo Clinic and others strongly recommend total rest with no such activities.
Concussions usually take a few days to three weeks to heal, although each person's injury is unique and could take longer. SportsConcussion.org suggests that even once all symptoms have disappeared physical exertion should be resumed very gradually.
The Scoop
In our fast-paced, must-keep-going-no-matter-what, always-connected-online world it's hard totally unplug and simply be, but this is necessary to allow the brain to heal. And heal it must, because if it doesn't then another similar jolt could mean neurodegenerative diseases, depression, following impulses regardless of the consequences or even death. Concussions are serious; treat them as such. Over and out...
Anna
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