I have posted my story on this board so many times, but I completely agree that people need to become more educated about the dangers of concussions and need to be taking them more seriously. I got 5 concussions in 2 years, all from cheerleading, and I ended up having to give the sport up because of the damage caused to my brain and the dangers of getting another concussion. My neurologist told me that I'm at a much greater risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease as an adult because of these injuries, and to be honest, I really don't think I've been the same since I got all of these concussions. My reading is significantly slower than it was before, I frequently lose my train of thought when I am trying to complete my school work, I cannot stare at a computer screen for longer than 45 minutes or so, and I experience almost daily headaches. I did not experience any of these issues before I had received so many concussions, and I never found myself having to push very hard to do well in school, and now I experience difficulty with things that I don't think I would have had I not been injured so many times. I love cheerleading, and it kills me that I had to give it up, but it was not worth it when it comes to brain health. Concussions are something that NEED to be taken seriously because even if the concussion does not seem that severe, there is so much damage that can be done from not allowing your brain to heal properly.
Another thing that people need to watch out for is post concussion syndrome. While your brain may be healed, you could still experience concussion symptoms, and it is something you should talk with a doctor about if you have a concussion. I experienced symptoms for six months after one of my concussions healed, and it really impacted my school work and life in general, but people did not take that as seriously because my brain technically was healed. Schools also provide more resources than parents may realize for students who have concussions. I did not know that I could have had my homework and tests reduced or eliminated had I contacted my guidance counselor, so my teachers were only accomodating for so long before expecting me to jump back into everything completely even though I didn't feel ready to do so. Parents, it is definitely worth it to do your research about concussions even if your child hasn't had one, just so that you are educated and can recognize when your child should be taken to a doctor.
Sorry for the rant! I just don't want another athlete to have to go through what I have gone through because my family and I were not as educated about concussions as we should have been!
