It’s More Than Just a Knock on the Head
By Adam Breiner, ND
They’ve even made their way to the silver screen, with Will Smith’s latest sports drama, Concussion. It’s really no surprise concus- sions have been a hot topic lately. The more scientists learn about concussions or trau- matic brain injury (TBI), the more adverse long-term effects they discover.
C Just last year, the American Academy
of Pediatrics (AAP) issued new recommen- dations to improve player safety in youth football, including zero tolerance for illegal headfi rst hits and expanding non-tackling leagues. And according to the CDC, the overall number of children and teens diag- nosed with concussions or TBI is on the rise. It’s common for kids to sustain head injuries due to sports accidents, everyday play, falls, and other mishaps. It’s important for parents to understand that concussions are much more serious than “just” a knock on the head, they can negatively affect children for the rest of their lives.
Here are six things parents, teachers,
and coaches need to know about concus- sions so that they can protect the young people in their care:
1. Concussions and TBI do real damage to the brain. Concussions and TBI occur when the brain suddenly shifts within the skull, usually as the result of a sud- den blow, jolt, or change of direction (e.g., whiplash). A football tackle, being hit with a baseball or softball, heading a soccer ball, falling off a bike, and being in an automobile accident are just a few of the scenarios that can result in TBI. TBI and concussions are characterized by torn nerve axons, bruising, and infl ammation. If not treated properly, this damage can continue to impede brain function, even long after the initial injury.
24 Natural Nutmeg - January/February 2017
oncussions and head injuries are all over the news lately, especially now that football season is in full swing.
2. Damage can have long-term effects. Be- cause children’s brains are still growing, they are especially vulnerable to concus- sions. The damage caused by TBI can impair normal development. Potential long-term effects of childhood concus- sions include abnormal brain activity that lasts for years, memory problems, attention defi cits, diffi culty handling anger, language impairment, personal- ity changes, diffi culty making decisions, “foggy” thinking, and more. The bot- tom line is a childhood concussion can adversely affect an individual’s personal and professional success throughout his lifetime.
3. Multiple concussions are especially dangerous. If a child is concussed a second time while a previous brain injury is still healing, she may experience more serious symptoms, a longer recovery time, and even permanent cognitive and neurological damage. Since TBI is not a visible injury, multiple concussions are a major concern especially for young athletes. Many children return to sports or other risky activities before they have fully healed. For this reason, it’s crucial for parents and coaches to fully follow doctors’ advice and to err on the side of caution.
4. The signs of concussion can range from mild to severe. The immediate effects of a concussion can be subtle or very notice- able. Some of the most common post- concussive symptoms include headache, visual blurring, light sensitivity, diffi culty concentrating, dizziness and balance problems, nausea, memory dysfunction, and fatigue. When in doubt, whether you notice symptoms or not, it’s always smart to get your child checked out after a blow to the head.
5. The fi rst and best line of defense is prevention. No, you can’t raise your child in a bubble, but you can take precautions
to lower his risk of becoming concussed. If your child participates in an activity where falls or blows to the head are a possibility, make sure he wears a helmet. If your child plays a sport and you see unsafe behaviors happening in practices or games, speak up. Remove your child from the team if changes aren’t made. While I don’t believe that the risk of concussion means that parents should pull their chil- dren out of sports, I am a strong advocate of taking all reasonable precautions to keep young athletes safe.
6. The standard wait-and-rest advice may not be good enough. If your child suffers from a concussion (or one is suspected), you’ll most likely be advised to make sure that she rests physically and mentally for a few days. But don’t stop there. The biggest mistake most parents and coaches make is assuming that everything is okay when a youngster appears to have returned to nor- mal after a few days of downtime. Remem- ber, damage may be present that you can’t see and the only way to ascertain whether healing is complete is via functional brain imaging and other tests.
Fortunately, the more science uncovers
about the brain, the better we’re able to diag- nose concussions and prevent negative long- term effects. Each brain’s cognitive abilities and electrical function is unique, meaning that “healing” will look different for each person. For this reason, it’s highly recom- mended that children and teens, especially athletes, get baseline tests (including neuro- cognitive testing and an EEG) before the ath- letic season begins. Having this baseline data on hand helps doctors evaluate the severity of the injury and determine when it’s safe for your child to return to prior activities.
And what if it is determined that TBI has taken place? Here are three treatment op- tions that have been proven to promote brain healing and health:
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