by Michael McMillan, Ph.D.
Several years ago, Randi and Andrea collided while trying to "head" a ball. Andrea broke her nose and Randi sustained a concussion. Randi never lost consciousness but she was seriously disoriented. Her mother to took her to the hospital, where she was observed and released. The emergency room doctor told Randi's mother to watch for drowsiness, vomiting, and headaches but said she could play the next game if she was symptom free. Two days later, Randi was dressed and ready to play. I told her mom and coach that despite what the ER doctor said, it was dangerous for Randi to play.
This situation made me realize that many doctors, coaches and trainers often mishandle concussions. It isn't that these people are in a rush to get a player back into action, they are simply unaware of how dangerous it can be to play an athlete before they have fully recovered. Current research demonstrates that even though an athlete reports feeling fine, their brain may need more time to heal.
The brain is a remarkable machine. It uses more oxygen and glucose than any other organ. But after a concussion, the brain is not able to use as much oxygen or glucose as normal. Short-term memory, reaction time, and processing speed are often affected. Moreover, it leaves the brain vulnerable to a second injury. That is, if an athlete gets hit in the head before they fully recover from their first concussion, the results can be catastrophic or even fatal, a condition called "Second Impact Syndrome". The second blow to the head does not have to be as hard as the first to cause serious problems. This is particularly true in children and adolescents.
New guidelines have evolved over the past few years to help trainers and physicians decide when it is safe to return an athlete to play. New computerized tests have been developed to help determine when an athlete is ready to play again. Computerized neurocognitve tests are used by every professional hockey and most professional football teams. The point is, many doctors now recognize how dangerous concussions can be if they are not managed correctly. It takes more than assessing physical symptoms. Evaluating an athletes thinking with one of the newly developed computerized programs can provide valuable information when deciding when a player can return to play.
Michael McMillan, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist who has been on staff at St. John Hospital in the pediatric department since 1987. He has interests in medically related psychological issues such as diabetes, head injury, etc. He is a graduate of Wayne State University and in addition to his work at St. John Hospital, he has a private practice in Rochester Hills. He can be reached at 9248)853-9058 or michael.mcmillan@stjohn.net.
SAVE THE DATE: Dr. McMillan will provide a presentation on sports concussions and answer your questions on Wednesday April 8, 2009 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Barnes Early Childhood Center (20090 Morningside Dr., Grosse Pointe Woods). The free program "Sports Concussions (Middle - High School students) is part of The Family Center 2009 Partners in Parenting Enrichment Series. To register call The Family Center at 313.432.3832
Managing Sports Concussions
