concussions

Concussions are not to be ignored. Be sure and follow the doctor's instructions!!! My son suffered at least one mild concussion and then suffered antother which creating a season ending injury. He developed post-concussion syndrone which can end a baseball career as it did with Mike Matheny.
Post-concussion syndrome, also known as postconcussive syndrome or PCS, is a set of symptoms that a person may experience for weeks, months, or even years after a concussion, a mild form of traumatic brain injury. As many as 50% of patients who have experienced concussion have PCS,and some sources say as many as 90% of patients experience postconcussion symptoms. Some doctors make a diagnosis of PCS in patients who have symptoms resulting from concussion for more than three months after the injury, while others make the diagnosis in patients who have symptoms starting within a week of trauma. In late, or persistent PCS, symptoms last for over six months.

It is not known what causes PCS symptoms to occur and persist or why some patients who suffer a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) develop PCS while others do not. It is commonly believed that physiological and psychological factors before, during, and after the injury all take part in the development of PCS.

Thanks for the info Fungo.
He is 13 and if he has to miss a lot of practices and games, I don't care. The headaches come and go in the severity. Sometimes he says its a 4 Dad, and he is OK. Other times he says its a 9 Dad and he needs to lie down and take his medicine. Luckily he isn't missing much school and we have a few days off for Thankgiving. I guess it is just like anything else. Time heals.

Once again, thanks for the info.

Obviously your doctor will guide you here, but any time we have dealt with concussions we have so in a very cautious manner.

Especially at his age proceed with caution. Seems your doing the right thing.

Best I can say is be very, very careful with this. There was a football player in 2004 a freshman who they believe may have suffered a concussion from a car accident. He played the next day in a game and collapsed after what all reports were was a normal hit. He didn't survive. He supposedly told some friends that he wasn't feeling right but swore them to secrecy because he wanted to play. Make sure your son is fully recovered before he takes the field again even if that is next year.
More info is available but I don't know if the family is on this site and I don't want them to suffer anymore.

Doughnutman... Last year I attended a course on return to play after concussions. The speaker was Dr. Michael Collins from the Univ of Pittsburgh. One of the things he spoke about was the possibility of giving the brain a rest including no school if necessary. If you go to Univ of Pitt web site and search his name, he is easy to find. Not trying to be nosey, just an FYI. Good luck to you and yours

Doughnutman,

If you search in google "Outside the Lines: High School Concussions" you will find a video ESPN did just a few weeks ago about concussions in high school football. There is a segment of that video that talks a little bit about what's called Second Impact syndrome.

Concussions are a very serious matter at any age. While a person is in their teens, the brain is not yet fully developed. For this reason, a teenager is more at risk to suffer Second Impact syndrome. SI is VERY serious. As you'll see in the video, it is life-altering.

Thanks for the info Bulldog and Irnin. I am looking it up right now.

You must be VERY CAREFUL with what your son is experiencing...the prolonged headaches are part of what we call "Post-concussion Syndrome." While he is still experiencing those symptoms...he is much more prone to a more severe injury, which we call "2nd Impact Syndrome," where people can die. Am I trying to scare you...YES I AM! He should wait at least 1 week or longer AFTER he is symptom free. I would be calling a neurologist first thing Monday!