As more is learned about the subject of brain injury in children, new pathways are being identified for how educators can support students returning to school post-concussion. Gina Piccolini, MA, Founder/ Director Educational Success Alliance, has focused her graduate work on building school capability to effectively serve students recovering from brain injuries. “If a child Read More
Category: TBI Blog
Concussions Can’t Always be Prevented
But Safety Measures can Help Mature Virginians (Part One of Two) You can’t prevent every concussion. But helmets, mouthguards, and other safety gear can reduce the risk of a brain injury. For older adults, developing muscle strength can be critical. “Helmets can prevent more severe brain injuries. And they probably do, to some degree, minimize Read More
Concussions Can Happen to All Ages, Particularly Aging Adults
While concussions are often thought of as primarily sports-related, the fact is they can happen at any time, to anyone. “There are lots of concussions that occur just from being in the wrong place, at the wrong time,” says Donna Broshek, PHd, ABPP-CN, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, UVA. They aren’t happening more Read More
Childhood Concussions are Common And Should be Taken Seriously
Falling or being hit by an object can be a common childhood event and are the leading causes of concussions in children. Further, research indicates that a child who has suffered one concussion becomes more vulnerable and at risk for suffering a second one. There is still much to learn about pediatric concussion, says Dr. Read More
Misunderstanding Can Make Returning to School More Difficult
Many times, parents with a child or teenager who has suffered a concussion are unsure about how long to keep them home while they are healing. Some may believe that a concussion gets better within less than 24 hours, while others may be fearful of their child resuming normal activities too soon. What’s the best Read More
Emergent Care for TBI: Starts at Moment of Impact
Concussion is a traumatic brain injury, not to be taken lightly. And evaluation to determine whether a concussion has occurred should begin shortly after the moment of impact, says Dr. Korin Hudson, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Georgetown School of Medicine. Dr. Hudson uses the following example: “Suppose a kid playing basketball slips, falls and Read More
Brain Needs Time to Heal As So Much is Still Unknown
A brain that has suffered an injury needs time to heal before it is put at risk. “Second impact syndrome,” or SIS, a potentially fatal swelling of the brain, can occur if a second head injury occurs too soon after the first. While SIS is extremely rare, it can cause permanent neurologic damage. Studies indicate Read More
Recognizing a Concussion: Symptoms Aren’t Always Severe
Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of injury, hospitalization and death in Virginia. Recognizing and diagnosing a concussion accurately should be something that happens in a hospital emergency room, but the gold standard right now for a concussion is a physician’s diagnosis, says Dr. Jacob Resch, Assistant Professor, Dept of Kinesiology, University of Virginia. Read More
Returning Students Safely Back to Classroom And Sports After Suffering a Concussion
One of the goals of the Virginia Concussion Initiative is to standardize the approach to a student returning to the classroom and participating in sports after suffering a concussion. John Reynolds MS, ATC, VATL Athletic Training Program Administrator, Fairfax County Public Schools is among those participating in the initiative and has been focused on integration Read More
Cultural Shifts Treating Concussion
When in Doubt, Sit them Out Imagine this: a crisp autumn day, parents cheering on the sidelines while their student athletes go head to head in an exciting football matchup. The ball is snapped, the receivers take off and the quarterback takes a split second too long to find his target and is sacked, hard, Read More