The Ekalaka Eagle - Your Community Builder

Where did August go? I’m sorry, August got away from me, and I didn’t get an article in the paper. However, now you will be fortunate enough to read two articles from me this month!

The kids are back in school, and with the start of school comes school sports! I’m so excited, because my daughter is in the 5th grade this year, and starts volleyball. So, I’ve got my car fueled up and my running shoes on to keep up with her!

However, along with school sports, inevitably also come concussions. You may have heard in the past that a kid got his/her “bell rung” or got a “dinger” to the head and was sent back into the game. Nowadays, we are taking a hit to the head quite a bit more seriously.

A concussion is also called a traumatic brain injury; this happens when there is a disruption in the normal function of the brain that is caused by a bump, jolt, or blow to the head. A disruption of the brain includes any of the following symptoms.Some immediate symptoms of a concussion are person appears dazed, can’t recall events prior to—or immediately after the hit, moves slowly/clumsily, and answers questions slowly.

Some other symptoms that may appear immediately, hours or even days later are headache, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, bothered by light or noise, feeling sluggish, confusion, depression, drowsiness, abnormal sleep patterns.

Recovery can take hours, days or even months; it depends on the person and the injury. We all heal at different rates. There are quick sideline tests that can be done to determine if a child has a brain injury and should be held from the game. There is also a computerized tool that Carter County High School uses to test for concussion symptoms. It’s called the ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) test.

The test tracks a student’s symptoms and measures multiple aspects of cognitive functioning, including attention span, working memory, sustained and selective attention time, non-verbal problem solving, and reaction time. Students are given the computerized test to determine a baseline at the beginning of 7th, 9th, and 11th grade.

Then, if a student gets hit in the head and is symptomatic, he/she retakes the test within 48-72 hours. If there is a significant change from the baseline test, then he/she is to follow up with a healthcare provider to develop a post-concussion plan of care.

Post-concussion plan of care includes REST, and limiting physical activity and activity that involves lots of thinking or concentration. Gone are the days when you wake a concussed person every thirty minutes. Now, it’s rest. The brain needs rest and time to heal.

Think of it like a sprained ankle; you don’t just go back to volleyball practice the day after spraining your ankle. It needs rest and time to heal. Even though we can’t see the brain injury, it’s still there. Once you’ve seen your healthcare provider he/she will have you follow up again in 48-72 hours to reassess symptoms. If your symptoms have improved, then you and your healthcare provider will develop a return to play plan. It starts simple and progresses.

First you start back to school, then light aerobic activities, moderate activity, heavy non-contact activity, practice full-contact activity, then competition. However, if your concussion symptoms reoccur during any phase of the return to play, then you must start again from the beginning and contact your healthcare provider. Your brain is not ready for that much stimulation and activity.

Accidents happen so not every concussion can be prevented. However, be sure athletes are wearing properly fitting protective equipment, stay well hydrated, and report any concussion. It’s better to miss one game than the entire season!

For more information on concussions, check out the “Heads Up” program through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/headsup . Thanks for joining me again this month! If you have questions or comments, you can find me at Dahl Memorial Healthcare Association, or you can email me at [email protected].

Raquel