Concussions and kids

WASHINGTON, DC - If you’re a fan of Sunday football, then you know how devastating concussions can be. In fact, nearly four million athletes suffer head injuries each year, both professional and amateur. Now, a new study sheds light on how to protect the budding young superstar in your family.

High-schooler Chloe Jeng got a wicked wrist shot. But a shot to her head during a club lacrosse game is what ruined her season.

“I actually kept playing because I had the ball and I didn’t really think anything had happened,” Chloe Jeng told Ivanhoe.

But something had, a concussion, which put Chloe on the bench for months. One million kids suffer similar concussions each year.

“I mostly just wanted to get back in the game and start playing again,” Jeng said.

It’s good she didn’t. 80 percent of all concussion cases are diagnosed as mild, but 75 percent of patients don’t seek medical help unless their condition gets worse.

“You can’t take sports away from everybody … you can’t take being
in or near a motor vehicle away from everybody,” Michael Yochelson, M.D., at National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, DC, said.

Doctor Michael Yochelson says spotting brain injuries are key, with the biggest tip-off being failure to remember the injury, but there are others.

“Symptoms to look for include headache, dizziness, nausea and trouble thinking,” Dr. Yochelson added.

One concussion, then another too soon, could lead to second impact syndrome, which could lead to death. Sadly, 40 percent of prep athletes return from concussions before they’re fully healed.

Not Chloe, who sat out all lacrosse season.

“It was kind of rough at first, but it was definitely worth it,” Jeng said.

Now she’s thinking about picking up her old ice hockey stick next year.

“You just want to play as hard as you can, you don’t really think about it anymore,” Jeng said.

Her rules now are to have fun, but know when to slow down. Listen up parents, while “second impact syndrome” is rare, it occurs most often in children and teens. The best remedy for someone who may have had a concussion is rest and a trip to the doctor.

Info from: (Ivanhoe Newswire) -

BACKGROUND: Often referred to as concussions, mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) are one of the most commonly seen neurological disorders. They [mTBIs] are the defined by the Centers for Disease Control and prevention as "the occurrence of injury to the head arising from blunt trauma or acceleration or deceleration forces," which is seen following symptoms similar to basic head injuries, such as "…transient confusion, disorientation, or impaired consciousness; dysfunction of memory around the time of injury; or loss of consciousness lasting less than 30 minutes." When these symptoms are accompanied by "Any period of observed or self-reported: seizures acutely following injury to the head; irritability, lethargy, or vomiting following head injury, especially among infants and very young children; or headache, dizziness, irritability, fatigue, or poor concentration, especially among older children and adults," mTBI is a likely diagnosis. The leading causes of mTBI are from falling, misuse of firearms and sports and recreational activity. Those at highest risk are found in the 15 to 24, and 65 + age groups. (Source: cdc.gov)

CATEGORIES: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, concussions are categorized by "Grades," depending on their severity. Grade One identifies patients who are experiencing comparatively mild symptoms such as "transient confusion, no loss of consciousness and duration of mental status abnormalities" which last less than 15 minutes. Grade Two is marked by "Transient confusion, no loss of consciousness, concussion symptoms or mental status abnormalities on examination" which lasts more than 15 minutes. Grade Three categorizes victims that have lost consciousness, whether for a short or long period ranging from seconds to minutes.

PREVENTION:The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that everyone should take preventative measures to avoid head injuries every day, including:
· Always wearing a safety belt and avoiding alcohol while driving
· Always wearing a helmet while biking, playing contact sports, skating, or rollerblading
· Having vision tested on a regular basis
· Removing all "Tripping hazards" from the home