Random Email

So, I got a random email from friend yesterday saying that she liked the blog. “Very sweet,” I thought.


On my drive home from work, I started thinking about her and how I got to know her family. I actually met her oldest daughter first. She plays travel soccer for the age group one year ahead of MyGirl’s. I met her for the first time when she enrolled her oldest in the speed and agility class I had orchestrated during the winter a year or two ago.


In the fall of this year, her oldest daughter, a goalie, was playing for her middle school team. She got kicked in the head. I wasn’t there, but from what I have heard, it was a pretty serious blow. I can’t remember if she lost consciousness or not. But, the daughter ended up with a concussion.


Growing up, I always thought of a concussion as nothing really. Everyone I ever knew that had one was fine. They just didn’t “feel like themselves” for a few days. It seemed like such a trivial injury.


But, years in healthcare have taught me differently. In medical records, concussions are sometimes recorded as Mild TBI’s. TBI = Traumatic Brain Injury. That sounds worse, right? How about, closed head injury? How does that sound?? To me – much worse than “concussion.”


They are serious business. Serious. Business.


Seeking rehabilitation is crucial from the very beginning if a concussion is suspected. And sometimes, that is harder than you would think. If you doubt me, just ask my friend. After her daughter was diagnosed with a concussion, she followed up with a pediatric neurologist as directed by the ER doc. As I understand it, the neurologist did a few tests, but none that could actually measure improvement so that my friend would know if her daughter was getting better.


She followed the directions of the neurologist, but realized after 7-8 weeks post-accident that her daughter was not improving. Her daughter was still having headaches on a daily basis and was struggling in school. So, she sought a different kind of care and started looking for a pediatric neurologist that specialized in concussion management. She finally found one and now her daughter is on brain rest and has been for several weeks. Her daughter cannot go to school or even be in areas with lots of noise or with bright lights. Read: She can’t leave the house.


After she is released from brain rest, she will begin concussion therapy. She will have to do therapeutic exercises that will re-train her brain to perform as it did before the injury occurred.


Athletes that play contact sports, like soccer, are at the greatest risk of getting concussions. So, be aware of signs and symptoms.


If your child is diagnosed with a concussion, make sure that you see a physician that specializes in concussion management. (Look for a physician that provides ImPACT testing.)


Take the time off that is recommended. Sustaining a second brain injury before symptoms of the first brain injury has been known to cause severe, irreversible damage.


It’s better to sit out a game than a season. And it’s better to sit out a season than a lifetime.