Reality Check

There is a kid aT Gonzaga who is a pitcher that has to wear a helmut & face mask when he plays. There is an article about him on there web site under the 2006 news.

The doctor is protecting the school and your player as well. Your son went into convulsions which is not a good sign that the concussion was taken lightly. Concussions are serious, even mild ones. Mine just recently suffered a slight concussion and it was weeks before he was given a go ahead to get back and h is a pitcher.
The only way I could see is if you agree to sign a hold harm release. I am not a lawyer, but that would seem to be a way of getting around it. And you have to understand future consequences.
I don't see how a player is able to play his position effectively wearing a helmet but his health is more important than baseball. JMO.
Maybe you might look for a second opinion?

quote:

Although he didn't prohibit him from ever playing baseball again I can see where this will essentially put an end to his career.

I apologize if this seems sort of unfeeling, but I do empathize and am happy your son is walking and talkig and playing ball again. Injuries are a huge part of baseball. They play a big role in who plays and when. By definition, careers are short, however physical limits didn't get in the way of Olerud or Jim Abbott. I'd give the catchers hat a try.

I think it would be a good to separate the consequences of a second concussion from the likelihood that any activity or lifestyle could generate a second concussion.

Considering consequences, isn't it normally true that the brain heals at least partially over time, and that the severity of a second event is likely less as time goes on? Isn't that why he wasn't allowed to play at all for a period of time? I'd probably ask the doctor whether a second concussion is always going to be significantly risky. And if he says that it is, I'd certainly get a second opinion.

That's because.....

There are any number of human activities that carry a risk of head impact. I wouldn't rate baseball as being relatively high risk for concussions, at least for fielders. Basketball, s****r, football(!), skating, and cycling are all worse in my opinion. And there is risk even in everyday life. For example, in those parts of the country that have cold winters, slipping on ice carries a higher risk than baseball, based on my observations.

If a second head impact would present a severe health risk, then he probably needs to wear protective gear much of the time, or severely curtail all activities that may foster head impacts. Since the doctor hasn't suggested that, I have to question whether there is a real (other than covering everyone's butt) reason for his recommendation.

More likely, the doctor is projecting his own valuation of the worth of baseball in your son's life, and comparing that to the risk to your son's health, to the doctor's career, and to the college's potential liability. His judgement may well be correct and reasonable, but your son's comparison has a smaller and different set of stakeholders. That might change the equation.

I'd want to know the health risk, and then make my own judgement of which activities to take part in.

quote:

Originally posted by miken515:
Second, since they don't manufacture a "fielders helmet" does it present a danger to have a position player wear a batting helmet or catchers helmet?

Why not get a skull-helmet and ask the equipment guys to paint it up like a hat?

Skull Cap
http://www.hitrunscore.com/ccpbh-rawlings-pro-catchers-helmet.html

I would follow the doctors orders. My son suffered multiple concussions (most undiagnosed) until one time he took a foul tip off the face mask. He thought he just had his "bell rung" until he started vomiting, and couldn't focus his eyes. He was suffering from post concussion syndrome, a condition that happens when one receives a concussion (even a mild one) before the other(s) have completely healed. It put and early end to his 3rd year of pro ball. I'm puzzled as to the perception that a batting helmet is such a obstacle for a defensive player. Football players run frontwards, backwards, sideways, jump and dive and stay focused while wearing a football helmet, so why couldn't a baseball player do the same with a less restrictive headgear?
I say you're overly concerned about the helmet and under concerned about the the effects of multiple concussions.
Baseball#1:

Baseball #2:


Football:

There was a young man at my former workplace who was hit in the head with a baseball when he was young and suffered a bad concussion. About a year later he began having seizures, which left him handicapped, slow speech and weak spinal cord (can't walk well). I have posted before the story about Arthur in another topic months ago.

There was a direct correlation to his injury and his handicap. So I understand the doctor's reluctance to allow him not to wear a helmet for now.

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Son faced a very successful pitcher in the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League a couple summers ago...fine pitcher...I was told Washinton or Washington State...but it could have been Gonzaga...had a helment with a full facemask...was of great interest until you saw him throw, then you forgot about the mask...and appreciated how he threw and competed...

44
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Worst case scenario, if he's worried about how he looks, he just has to remember that any girls that come to the games are bound to know who he is by the time the game is over if he's wearing that helmet.

however, I also question how reasonable the Doc's directions are.

Reasonable? depends After an accident occurs everybody speculates what could have been done to prevent it? The only way I know of preventing anybody from being hurt playing baseball is dont play?

You have to approach this from the angle this is after the fact he had been injured and it is a head injury. One thing I know from my years of experience is you dont mess with head injuries. It is serious stuff. Is it better to be overly cautious or not cautious at all? after the fact the former always looks better.

There are some options unless the physician has specifically stated that the player wear a batting helmet.

They make bump caps. The bump caps don't provide the same protection as a construction workers hard hat, or a batting helmet, but they provide some protection. It's is a thin hard shell that fits inside a baseball cap. It looks like a big, hard yamika. You can order one of these caps from a Grainger or LSS Safety and Industrial catalog. It's held in place by the sweatband. The shell is removeable, and you can take it out and use it in any baseball cap.

miken515 - very interesting question. If I was in your situation, I would probably have the same question. I believe the Doctor knows what he is talking about here and you have to trust his judgment. The risk is simply too great imho.

I think your son can still achieve any level of baseball he was capable of playing (before the accident) while wearing the helmet. Given that he was hit behind the ear, I think he needs to wear the #1 helmet that Fungo posted and not the catcher's style helmet. If it were between playing and wearing a helmet, I am pretty sure my son would wear the helmet. I cetainly empathise with the situation but would encourage your son to wear the helmet and not let that get in the way of his baseball dreams. Good luck to the young man

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The coach tells us it was pretty ugly initially, unconscious, vomiting and convulsing.

I would wear the helmet.

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He saw a neurologist and was tested extensively finally getting clearance to play just after the end of the season. The clearance however requires him to wear a helmet whenever on the field of play

I'd trust the neurologist........get through this year unscathed, and then see where he stands.....

Buy the catchers helmet, paint it to resemble the fielders cap, and that should meet all requirements if you all feel that is a fix.......

Dont think it will hold him back at all........

Thanks to all for the comments and advice. I can assure you that as far as his mother and I are concerned his health is much more important than playing baseball. I stated in my original post that my attempts to have the Doc give him a full release have not been successful, it would be more accurate to say that my calls to the Doc have not been returned. So, my concerns are somewhat based on a lack of information and feedback.

I'd like to address a couple of your comments:
Thanks for the information on Cory Powell(Gonzaga). It's always good to see that others have been in a similar situation and overcome the hurdles. That's the first I'd heard of anyone in this situation.

TPM: Although I know this Doc is well thought of and has a heckuva resume, in the back of my mind I always wonder how much of the recommendation has to do with liability and asset protection than the real interest of the patient. Just one of those nagging things which is a product of working for 26 years in a profession where liability tends to freeze action.

Fungo: I agree we need to take this seriously and we will, when all is said and done, follow the Doc's direction. I also don't know why a helmet would necessarily have a negative impact on performance. But there must be some reason no one does......

I know that if he ends up wearing a helmet he'll still be out there giving it his all, he loves it too much and persevered through too many other obstacles to walk away because of this.

Thanks again for all the input and I'm hopeful the Doc calls today - practice starts on Monday.....

I'd ask the doc what level of helmet he wants you to wear. After all, he is the one saying it has to be done. Perhaps a catcher style helmet won't provide the protection that the doctor is looking for - e.g. low down behind the ear.

quote:

Originally posted by Estone28:

quote:

Originally posted by miken515:
Second, since they don't manufacture a "fielders helmet" does it present a danger to have a position player wear a batting helmet or catchers helmet?

Why not get a skull-helmet and ask the equipment guys to paint it up like a hat?

Skull Cap
http://www.hitrunscore.com/ccpbh-rawlings-pro-catchers-helmet.html

When I was a kid, a Red Sox catcher Bob Montgomery used a shell liner inside his cap. He had been in MLB before they used helmets and was grandfathered and not required to where a helmet. He was old as dirt in the 60's. Maybe they still make them.