A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that occurs when a head impact jars or shakes the brain inside the skull. Gabe Henderson, wide receiver for the Louisiana High School football team, has had two concussions while in high school. Football accounts for 64-76% of all high school sport affiliated concussions. On average, one in every five high school athletes will suffer from a concussion this year. Gabe’s 2015 football season was cut short when he became one of these unfortunate student athletes.
It was the homecoming football game. The Louisiana Bulldogs were playing the Palmyra Panthers. With only a few minutes left in the first quarter, Gabe Henderson goes in for the tackle. Although the tackle is successful, the opposing player flips over Gabe and knees him in the head. After the play is over, Gabe hesitantly gets off the ground. As I cheer on the sidelines, I realize that something is wrong, but he does not come out of the game. He waits a few more minutes before he comes out, and I wonder why. I watch as the athletic trainer shines a light in Gabe’s eyes to examine his pupil size and sensitivity to the light. In speaking with Gabe after the incident, he says, "I didn't come out of the game until I couldn't see out of my right eye." This is at least his fourth concussion in his lifetime, which can not be good. While the first hit can prove problematic, the second or third head impact can cause permanent long-term brain damage. At this point, it is no surprise that I am concerned for his health. Lucky for Gabe, his fourth concussion did not take him out of football. Common symptoms for this type of head injury such as trouble paying attention, headache, and sensitivity to light were the only things keeping him away from playing the game. “The only symptom that I didn’t show was nausea. My eyes were sensitive the light, I had trouble concentrating, I was always tired, and I was irritable ”, says Gabe. American Academy of Neurology guidelines state that if concussion symptoms last more …show more content…
If an athlete is rendered unconscious after a blow to the head and is cleared to play too soon, the athlete can suffer from second-impact syndrome. Second-impact syndrome is a rare condition where a second concussion occurs before the first concussion had time to properly heal, causing rapid and severe brain swelling and often catastrophic results. An injury to the brain like this causes the brain to lose the ability to autoregulate intracranial and cerebral perfusion pressure, which can sometimes lead to cerebral edema, more commonly referred to as severe brain swelling, or possible brain herniation. Second-impact syndrome is more common in high school athletes because younger, less developed brains are more susceptible to it. Like most sports related injuries, the most effective treatment for concussions like Gabe’s is time. He/she should take as much time as necessary away from physical activities. It is crucial for the athlete to rest both physically and mentally to allow the brain to heal properly. Concussion symptoms may worsen if he/she concentrates on school work or any type of electronic screen such as a phone, computer, or television. Most importantly, the athlete should not return to play while they are still showing
It was the homecoming football game. The Louisiana Bulldogs were playing the Palmyra Panthers. With only a few minutes left in the first quarter, Gabe Henderson goes in for the tackle. Although the tackle is successful, the opposing player flips over Gabe and knees him in the head. After the play is over, Gabe hesitantly gets off the ground. As I cheer on the sidelines, I realize that something is wrong, but he does not come out of the game. He waits a few more minutes before he comes out, and I wonder why. I watch as the athletic trainer shines a light in Gabe’s eyes to examine his pupil size and sensitivity to the light. In speaking with Gabe after the incident, he says, "I didn't come out of the game until I couldn't see out of my right eye." This is at least his fourth concussion in his lifetime, which can not be good. While the first hit can prove problematic, the second or third head impact can cause permanent long-term brain damage. At this point, it is no surprise that I am concerned for his health. Lucky for Gabe, his fourth concussion did not take him out of football. Common symptoms for this type of head injury such as trouble paying attention, headache, and sensitivity to light were the only things keeping him away from playing the game. “The only symptom that I didn’t show was nausea. My eyes were sensitive the light, I had trouble concentrating, I was always tired, and I was irritable ”, says Gabe. American Academy of Neurology guidelines state that if concussion symptoms last more …show more content…
If an athlete is rendered unconscious after a blow to the head and is cleared to play too soon, the athlete can suffer from second-impact syndrome. Second-impact syndrome is a rare condition where a second concussion occurs before the first concussion had time to properly heal, causing rapid and severe brain swelling and often catastrophic results. An injury to the brain like this causes the brain to lose the ability to autoregulate intracranial and cerebral perfusion pressure, which can sometimes lead to cerebral edema, more commonly referred to as severe brain swelling, or possible brain herniation. Second-impact syndrome is more common in high school athletes because younger, less developed brains are more susceptible to it. Like most sports related injuries, the most effective treatment for concussions like Gabe’s is time. He/she should take as much time as necessary away from physical activities. It is crucial for the athlete to rest both physically and mentally to allow the brain to heal properly. Concussion symptoms may worsen if he/she concentrates on school work or any type of electronic screen such as a phone, computer, or television. Most importantly, the athlete should not return to play while they are still showing