Written by:
KATIE KARN LMT, CST, CBIS
Katie can be reached at katie@apexptwellness.com.
Not to mention, all kids have underdeveloped frontal lobes, which means they don’t always make the best decisions in crucial situations. The reason I have them sit out is that TYPICALLY if there is a minor or slight concussion after a collision or head trauma, the brain is able to fully recover in 7-14 days after injury. If that first concussion goes undiagnosed and they continue to play and were to have another trauma, Second Impact Syndrome may occur—leading to difficulties like Post-Concussive syndrome of CTE later in life.
Second impact syndrome occurs when an athlete returns to sport too early after suffering from an initial concussion. The athlete does not need to receive a strong second blow to the head to set the effects in motion. The athlete may receive only a minor blow to the head or a hit to the chest or back that snaps the head enough to have the brain rebound inside the skull. It only takes a minimal force to cause irreversible brain damage. Because the brain is more vulnerable and susceptible to injury after an initial brain injury, it only takes a minimal force to cause irreversible damage.
The brain’s ability to self-regulate the amount of blood volume to the brain is damaged resulting in increased cerebral blood volume which can result in lifelong damage to the brain. The pressure to the brain increases rapidly causing brain death in as little as three to five minutes. Because brain death is so rapid, second impact syndrome can have a high fatality rate in young athletes.
I don’t mean to scare you. But the brain is SO precious—Lets just take care of it and have them sit out.
After you suspect your child may have a concussion, the next step is to get an evaluation at the doctor where they may run some tests and do a CT scan. Fargo has many opportunities to get proper screenings for these events and help get your kid back to playing safely. And remember, signs and symptoms of a concussion can be subtle and may not show up immediately. Symptoms can last for days, weeks or even longer.
Here are some of the things you can look for:
Seek emergency care for an adult or child who experiences a head injury and signs and symptoms such as:
We have an entire team of people dedicated to treating head injuries, so the timing of when to seek treatment is up to you. Most people usually wait 7-14 days after a concussion to see if injuries will resolve themselves, but some people come in after their diagnosis of concussion from a medical provider and start treatment right away in order to get back on the field and into daily life as fast as possible. If symptoms occur more than 14 days, we recommend getting checked by one of our brain team providers to get you back on track.
Our providers are trained in vestibular rehab, dry needling, manual therapy & CranioSacral Therapy, and getting the proper treatment right away can keep you from the complications that can come without treatment.
Apex also works with a network of people in addition to our treatments that we can recommend if necessary which include Neurologists, Cognitive rehabilitation, Vision Therapy, neuropsychology, as well as other resources such as hyperbaric treatment and resources to make sure teaches and coaches know how to help your child get back on track.
Potential complications of concussion include:
It’s important for athletes never to return to sports while they’re still experiencing signs and symptoms of concussion.
Let Apex’s brain team keep your brain healthy and your athlete in the game!
We are also here to help educate the community on concussions, so if you’d like to have us come speak to a group, please call us at 701-364-APEX (2739), we’d love to help keep our community healthy.
KATIE KARN LMT, CST, CBIS
Katie can be reached at katie@apexptwellness.com.