Page 24 - Issue 1 Cornwall Hill

HEALTH & WELLNESS

CONCUSSION

WHAT EVERY PARENT SHOULD KNOW

n the past, concussion was a scary and misunderstood If in doubt – sit them out.
condition. Lack of knowledge led to either under- Individuals that are concussed should stop playing immediately.

Imanagement or fear-driven protocols. The good news Another blow can cause second impact syndrome. A second
today is that we understand it much better and, with proper impact, even a small hit before the original concussion has healed
management, the prognosis in most cases is very good. The can be fatal - the biggest reason for a fatality is that, after the first
most important way to keep your child safe is to recognise the impact, the brain swells and then becomes hyper sensitised against
signs and symptoms of concussion and then treat it correctly. more impact.
In short, concussion is a functional injury to the brain due to an Some misconceptions to be aware of:
impact directly on the head or indirectly on the body. An energy In the past, an individual had to be unconscious, vomiting and
shortage in the brain follows and that affects its functionality. have a headache to be diagnosed with a concussion. Today, we
The brain fires without external stimulation which causes an agree that any impairment of brain function is an indication
energy crisis. This leads to the various signs and symptoms we of a possible concussion. Most concussions do not cause loss of
see, as the brain is struggling to process incoming stimulation consciousness.
properly. An individual can have a concussion even if there was no direct
impact on their head. A bump or a fall that causes the whiplash
RECOGNISING CONCUSSION effect will also move the brain inside the skull.
If a child is showing any signs and symptoms of a concussion
during or after physical activity, the best thing to do is to let them TREATING CONCUSSION
be assessed by a qualified medical professional. The good news is that 90% of concussions resolve spontaneously
after 3 weeks. Rehabilitation is not always needed – but will speed
Signs Observed by Parents Symptoms Reported by
or Guardians Athlete up recovery.
The dangers come in with repeated and untreated serious
t "QQFBST EB[FE PS TUVOOFE t )FBEBDIF PS iQSFTTVSFw JO UIF concussions, as these can cause permanent damage to the brain
head as it becomes more sensitive after each injury. In those cases,
t *T DPOGVTFE BCPVU t /BVTFB PS WPNJUJOH functional impairment of the brain is permanent and individuals
assignment or position lose their higher brain functions and well as their ability to reason.
t 'PSHFUT BO JOTUSVDUJPO t #BMBODF QSPCMFNT PS As physiotherapists, we work in conjunction with a medical doctor
dizziness
to rehabilitate those with concussion. We have various protocols for
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opponent
We also advocate doing a baseline assessment every year with
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your active child. We evaluate brain function before an injury
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foggy or groggy
concentration. In the event of an injury, the test is then used to help
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briefly) problems make a diagnosis and plan the safe return to sport/activity.
Please feel free to contact us for more information about
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personality changes concussion, the rehabilitation thereof and to schedule a baseline
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hit or fall “feeling down” Contact: 012 662 1783 or 082 821 3646 www.physiofirst.co.za
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or fall Ave, Pierre van Ryneveld

24 Cornwall View • Issue 1 2020