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Chari
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| Posted: Feb 27 2009 at 2:47pm | IP Logged
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I have a new "crusade" after this event took place.
Stacy.........please feel free to add to this......or re-educate me, if necessary, as I am new at this. 
Here is a recent email and blog post I want to share with all of you.....just in case you ever need this info.....which of course, I pray you never will.....but, with active boys, I expect one or two of you will find it useful.
At least view the documentary below. It is very good.
Here is my post:
Many of you know Garrett (11 yo) suffered a concussion Wednesday night (February 18th) in the 4th quarter of his basketball game. He lost momentary consciousness and has little memory of the game.
Our doctor said he needed to be mellow (no sports) for the next 2-3 weeks. At least one coach was surprised it was so long.
An online friend (Stacy!)mentioned she had done reseach after two of her sons suffered severe concussions. One suffered with pain for a year. She said Garrett should not do any sports for two weeks AFTER the symptoms subside. She said teaching others about the seriousness of concussions is a crusade of hers. It is now mine, too.
This got me looking around the internet. According to two sources, Garrett's concussion was moderate to severe (between a Grade 2 and 3) or severe (Grade 3). Shelly witnessed the whole thing.....she says Grade 3.
A week later, he still has a headache, neck ache and occasional dizziness......I will say he still has the ability to argue with his siblings......that's a good sign, right? :)
Concussions are a mild form of TBI, Traumatic Brain Injury.
It usually affects JR/SR aged kids, though occasionally into the college-aged adults.
I wanted to share the info I found, for those of you involved with sports, either as a coach, or a parent.....or both.
Be sure to view the mini-documentary below.
But first, here are some interesting quotes, all taken out of context, and from several sources:
Second Impact Syndrome. Aka SIS. The two cases described above involved repeated head trauma with probable concussions that separately might be considered mild but in additive effect were fatal. The risk for catastrophic effects from successive seemingly mild concussions sustained within a short period is not yet widely recognized. Second Impact Syndrome results from acute, usually fatal, brain swelling that occurs when a second concussion is sustained before complete recovery from a previous concussion that causes vascular congestion and increased intracranial pressure, which may be difficult or impossible to control. (There does seem to be debate about whether this actually exists or not.....seems like a moot point to me.......playing before healed seems pretty dangerous to me.)
Neurologists say once a person suffers a concussion, he is as much as four times more likely to sustain a second one. Moreover, after several concussions, it takes less of a blow to cause the injury and requires more time to recover. (Think football players & boxers.)
Depending on the extent and location of the injury, impairments caused by a head injury can vary widely. The irony of mild head injuries is that often, such injuries do not even require a hospital stay, yet they result in changes so profound that lives are forever changed.
The condition most commonly occurs in American football.
Every documented case of SIS has occurred in males, but it is not known whether this is due to a special vulnerability or to a greater exposure of males to second impacts.
If you look at just one link, this is a great video documentary
This is a good, to the point definition:
http://tbi.unl.edu/savedTBI/sports/sis.html
http://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/concussion-safety/gene ral/second-impact-syndrome-signs-and-symptoms
Good list of signs and symptoms:
http://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/concussion-safety/reco gnition-evaluation/recognizing-concussion-signs-and-symptoms
About amnesia:
http://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/concussion-safety/reco gnition-evaluation/two-types-of-amnesia-retrograde-and-post- trau
About returning to play after a head injury:
http://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/concussion-safety/retu rn-to-play/second-impact-syndrome-risk-requires-caution-in-r etur
GRADING the concussion:
http://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/concussion-safety/reco gnition-evaluation/cantus-concussion-grading-guidelines-comp ared
A great handout for those of you needing one for parents, etc:
http://www.co.el-dorado.ca.us/EMS/pdf/Second_Impact_Syndrome _Brochure.pdf
Full of statistics, and from an MD point of view:
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/92189-overview
Lots of info and links at wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second-impact_syndrome
Intersting info about POST-CONCUSSION SYNDROME:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-concussion_syndrome
Summary of Recommendations of Management of Concussion in Sports Taken from:
http://www.headinjury.com/sports.htm
Garrett had at least 6 of the nine below, at some point of his injury.
A concussion is defined a head-trauma-induced alteration in mental status that may or may not involve loss of consciousness. Concussions are graded in three categories. Definitions and treatment recommendations for each category are presented below.
Grade 1 Concussion
Definition: Transient Confusion, no loss of consciousness, and a duration of mental status abnormalities of less than 15 minutes.
Management: The athlete should be removed from sports activity, examined immediately and at 5 minute intervals, and allowed to return that day to the sports activity only if post concussive symptoms resolve within 15 minutes. Any athlete who incurs a second Grade 1 concussion on the same day should be removed from sports activity until asymptomatic for 1 week.
Grade 2 Concussion:
Definition: Transient confusion, no loss of consciousness, and a furation of mental status abnormalities of more than 15 minutes.
Management: The athlete should be removed from sports activity, examined immediately and frequently to assess the evolution of symptoms, with more extensive diagnostic evaluation if the symptoms worsen or persist for more than 1 week. The should return to sports activity only after asymptomatic for 1full week. Any athlete who incurs a Grade 2 concussion subsequent to a Grade 1 concussion on the same day should be removed from sports activity until asymptomatic for 2 weeks.
Grade 3 Concussion:
Definition: Loss of consciousness, either brief (seconds) or prolonged (minutes or longer).
Management: The athlete should be removed from sports activity for 1 full week without symptoms if the loss of consciousness is brief, or 2 full weeks without symptoms if the loss of consciousness is prolong. If still unconscious, or if abnormal neurologic signs are present at the time of initial evaluation, the athlete should be transported by ambulance to the nearest hospital emergency department. An athlete who suffers a second Grade 3 concussion should be removed from sports activity until asymptomatic for 1 month. Any athlete with an abnormality on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging brain scan consistent with brain swelling, contusion, or other intracranial pathology should be removed from sports activities for the season and discouraged from future return to participation in contact sports.
Features of Concussion Frequently Observed:
1. Vacant stare (befuddled facial expression)
2. Delayed verbal and motor responses (slow to answer questions or follow instructions)
3. Confusion and inability to focus attention (easily distracted and unable to follow through with normal activities)
4. Disorientation (walling in the wrong direction; unaware of time, date and place)
5. Slurred or incoherent speech (making disjointed or incomprehensible statements)
6. Gross observable incoordination (stumbling, inability to walk tandem/straight line)
7. Emotions out of proportion to circumstances (distraught, crying for no apparent reason)
8. Memory deficits (exhibited by the athlete repeatedly asking the same question that has already been answered, or inability to memorize and recall 3 of 3 words, or 3 of 3 objects in 5 minutes)
9. Any period of loss of consciousness (paralytic coma, unresponsiveness to arousal)
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Chari...Take Up & Read
Dh Marty 27yrs...3 lovely maidens: Anne 24, Sarah 20 & Maddelyn 17 and 3 chivalrous sons: Matthew 22, Garrett 16 & Malachy 11
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Feb 27 2009 at 3:07pm | IP Logged
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I think I may be printing this and tucking into my lacrosse info
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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joann10
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| Posted: April 23 2009 at 8:07am | IP Logged
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After having Amy at the hosptal with a concussion diagnosis yesterday--I appreciate all this important info---which is much more than the discharge papers from the hospital contained---
So I am bumping this up 
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mom2mpr
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| Posted: April 23 2009 at 5:58pm | IP Logged
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I also am printing this as ds is playing football  in the fall! Practice starts in August and I am already praying.
Anne
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Chari
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| Posted: April 24 2009 at 12:29am | IP Logged
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I am glad it is useful to someone.  I am sorry someone needs the info 
Garrett took about seven weeks to lose the constant headache....and his head is still sore in that spot if you knock it.....and it first happened on Feb 18th
I appreciate Stacy inspiring me to do research.....even if it scared me
Praying, Joann!!
oh......last night it looked like the first pitch hit Garrett in the head.....but he said it did not..........then, the third pitch hit him in the back
sheesh 
__________________
Chari...Take Up & Read
Dh Marty 27yrs...3 lovely maidens: Anne 24, Sarah 20 & Maddelyn 17 and 3 chivalrous sons: Matthew 22, Garrett 16 & Malachy 11
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4Real Forums : Our Lady of Good Remedy and Care
Topic: Want to know more about concussions?
