Varsity Parenting » concussion

Supplements to “Cure” Concussions – Don’t believe the hype!

Dana White MS, RD, ATC — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:39:55 +0000

There’s credible on going research exploring benefits of omega-3 fats and brain health after concussion type injuries – a good thing for athletes. As usual the supplement industry is trying to capitalize on vulnerable athletes and their parents. Supplements to cure concussions – it sounds too good to be true and it is! Athletic trainers and docs are the ones properly trained to make return-to-play decisions.

Get more info from this article

What diagnosis would you make?

Becca Gaines — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:26:50 +0000

I get very excited about learning new things and luckily have a variety of professionals around me from whom I learn. One of those is a neuropscyhologist who presents to our practice and at various hospitals on the topic of concussions. Hearing about the latest research and information on the prevalent topic of concussions has helped me in my daily work with young athletes, performers and active people in general.

Like many people, I associated concussions primarily with football. And, I definitely did not understand the significance of a client telling me they were having constant headaches after a fall.

I have been working with a top dancer in the Greater New York area. She recently had a fall where she hurt her back and hit her head on the floor. She was referred to me because she was struggling physically and emotionally after this injury.

We were working as a team – the dancer, her mom, the teacher, a physical therapist and me – trying to figure out the cause of her symptoms (headaches, fatigue, irritability, difficulty doing routine dance moves) so a treatment plan could be put in place to help her get back to “normal.” The dancer (I’ll call her Arielle) complained of headaches, but did not think much about them. Her back pain was of most concern and she dismissed the idea that she was anxious. Her dance teacher and mother felt the headaches were psychological, as it was coming close to performance time. The physical therapist was managing her back pain, so I wanted to know more about this long list of symptoms and what might be causing them.

When I looked more carefully at the symptom list and listened to Arielle’s complaints, I had an “ah-ha” moment. Arielle may have had a concussion. I remember hearing about post-concussive symptoms, hers fit the bill, and how they can linger for months. Bingo!

I spoke with the Arielle and the others and suggested they make an appointment with a neurologist to better assess whether she had a concussion and if her symptoms were a result of the mild brain injury. Everyone felt hopeful there might be an answer.

The neurologist was able to confirm Arielle had a concussion and the symptoms were a result of this “silent” injury. She had to stop all dance until she had 3 full days of no headaches. She is not allowed to watch TV or play on her computer, so her brain has time to heal. A concussion, in the simplest sense of the word is a bruise on the brain. It takes time and rest for it to heal properly. Although Arielle has a way to go before she is symptom-free, she is relieved to have a treatment plan that will help her feel better.

Link to more information:
http://www.hss.edu/conditions_concussion-in-the-athlete.asp

More alarming news about concussions….

Dana White MS, RD, ATC — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:00:18 +0000

Read the article Multiple Concussions Linked to Lasting Symptoms in High School Athletes. More and more research is finding that high school athletes that suffer more than one concussion are at increased risk for long-term effects. Symptoms include trouble concentrating, balance problems, dizziness and memory and sleep disturbances. Is your athlete at risk?

Parents Sound Off: What’s Your Take On Concussions?

Dana White MS, RD, ATC — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 11:00:25 +0000

The NFL has (finally) made head injury prevention a priority and this has shed some light on what to do about concussion treatment across all high school sports. We’ve been talking about a lot in recent months (read up on our previous posts) – now it’s your turn….

Do you feel that your athlete is safe playing their sport?

Nutrition Tip: Feeding a concussion

Dana White MS, RD, ATC — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:46:26 +0000

Feed a cold, starve a fever — but what about head injuries? If your athlete suffers a concussion, keep food and beverages light for the first few hours. Don’t deny them food if they’re hungry, but stick to water and small snacks. Possible side effects of head injuries include nausea and vomiting, so you just don’t want to overdo it.

More on concussions…. Is football TOO dangerous?

Dana White MS, RD, ATC — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:00:23 +0000

Football might be my favorite sport — and I LOVE sports. As an athletic trainer, nobody knows better how dangerous this contact sport can be. The majority of the serious injuries I’ve treated have been on the sidelines of a football field.

Injuries don’t always come in the form of cuts, sprains and broken bones. Head injuries can have consequences that last a lifetime. So what should parent do?

Read this article from Sports Illustrated.com and read up on our tips on what to look for when your athlete suffers an head injury.

More on concussions – take a hint from the NFL

Varsity Parenting — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:00:16 +0000

In the middle of this NFL season, the powers that be are planning to implement a new policy to protect athletes who have suffered head injuries.

After suffering any injury, athletes must be cleared to return to play by the athletic training staff and team doctor (similar rules apply in the high school setting). This is done to insure that athletes safely and effectively return to their sport with the lowest risk of becoming re-injured. Though avoiding another injury is never guaranteed, it’s obviously better to get a medical opinion instead of leaving the decision up to the athlete. For head injuries this can be incredibly important, especially since there can be subtle underlying conditions that can be made much worse when the athlete returns to play too soon.

The new policy states that each NFL team will be required to have an independent neurologist approved by the league to supplement the medical staff to evaluate players who have suffered concussions. What took them so long?! This will take help take some of the pressure off the team medical staff who are often under fire to get players back as soon as possible – especially when an important game is coming up. I’ve seen this pressure at the high school level too. A good high school athletic trainer won’t give into the coach, parents or players but it can be difficult at times.

After watching an interview with Hines Ward of the Pittsburg Steelers this weekend, it is still clear to me that many athletes (even the professional ones) do not take concussions seriously enough. Ward stated that the team was questioning the decision to keep quarterback Ben Roethlisberger out of Sundays game after suffering a concussion the previous week. In my opinion his comments were way out of line! Incidentally, Ward just made a public apology to Roethlisberger on his Facebook page (read more about this NBC Sports article).

Concussions: What To Look For When Your Athletes Suffer A Head Injury

Varsity Parenting — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:00:29 +0000

Head injuries are serious business – we’re talking about the brain here! Every athlete will respond differently from a blow to the head and some cases can be much more serious than others. Sometimes progressive symptoms can appear hours after the injury occurs.

If one of my athletes suffers a head injury during a practice or game, first I’ll rule out any immediate dangers that would require a trip to the Emergency Room. If it’s safe for the athlete to go home it’s important that they are monitored closely until I have a chance to see them in the training room the next day – here’s where mom and dad come in.

What To Look For
Basically, you want to make sure you notice if anything gets worse. Since your child may be a bit out of it (which is normal even after a mild concussion), you can’t always rely on them to give you honest and accurate info. Here are some of the guidelines I give to the parents of my athletes when they are sent home to monitor their child after a head injury.

Go straight home and rest. No more practices, games, or errands. Straining to read or get homework done may not be possible (make sure to go through the proper school channels to have the student be temporarily excused).

Ask if symptoms are getting worse. Some common ones include: headache, ringing in the ears, dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, drowsiness, irritability, neck pain.

Don’t eat a large meal – head injuries are sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting. A small meal (if they’re hungry) and some fluids are fine.

Don’t give any painkillers for a headache – no Tylenol, Advil, Aleve, Motrin, Aspirin – Nothing! These can mask the symptoms of a worsening concussion and blood thinners like aspirin can increase intra-cranial bleeding. A cool cloth or an ice pack to the head are all you should do.

Don’t leave your athlete unattended for long period of time, talk to them – make sure they remain awake and alert until their typical bedtime.

Once they athlete does go to bed for the night –wake them up periodically to make sure they awake easily.

If any symptoms appear to get worse – call your MD immediately and take the athlete to the Emergency Room for further evaluation.

No activity of any kind is allowed until you are cleared by your medical care team (MD and/or Athletic Trainer).

Return To Play
Athletes that suffer from head injuries can miss anywhere from a day to months of their sport. It’s vital that both athletes and their parents work closely with their school’s athletic trainer and the rest of the child’s medical team to determine the best time to get back to playing safely.

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