Here’s an article that appeared in the Toronto Star that we should all read and take to heart: Long-term effects of concussion misunderstood. When I was a kid we didn’t worry too much about concussions — or helmets for that matter. If you fell off you got back on. I never had a trainer tell me to rest and I never went to a Doctor.
Sometimes you don’t exhibit the symptoms for several hours after a fall. The last time I had a concussion, which was more than 5 years ago now, I had a minor fall. I misjudged the striding of an in and out when hunting. I thought we were going to do it in two strides; my horse chose one and a half. I landed unbalanced and went over his shoulder. I dusted myself off, finished the hunt and, about two hours later when I was back in the barn and putting my horse away, I saw pinpricks of light. Bingo. I had a concussion. Even then I didn’t go to the doctor as I felt it was “too late.”
We know so much more about concussions now — so take them seriously, treat them appropriately, and always see your doctor if you have a head injury!
Definintely good advice! And helmets, helmets, helmets! I’ve had a few from horse riding and would feel fine directly afterwards and not be aware of other affects that may have been caused!
My daughter suffered a concussion at 14. She had three areas of impact, left, rear and right side. She has every symptom of Post Concussion Syndrome. It has been over a year and her symptoms are still present. One thing the article didn’t address is all of the symptoms of PCS and how ones personality can totally change almost overnight. Gone are the straight A’s and the free spirited personality. You grieve as a parent as the child you knew for years is gone in a sense when the personality changes. That is sad but then having to watch your child in pain, confused, depressed, etc is also hard. It is extremely hard for the child since many schools just don’t understand or know how to help. Luckily she was wearing a helmet.
Sadly, Michele, your are all too right. The long-term effects of a concussion can be very severe. One of my daughter’s friends suffered a concussion in a playground incident in fourth grade and it changed her life, and that of her family’s, forever. She was no longer able to attend school and was home-schooled and tutored for several year. Now, I believe, she is in a school where her symptoms are understood. I hope that your daughter is able to recover fully from her concussion; it sounds like it was a very serious one. It was incidents like my daughter’s friend (not riding related) that made me become even more cautious about riding.