Community Corner

Getting Better after a Concussion

In the final installment of our series on concussions and head injuries, Royal Oak Patch presents ways parents can help student athletes recover after a bump, blow or jolt to the head.

On Thursday, Patch reported how Yvonne Carter, a Royal Oak mother of four, thanked a offered to student athletes through Health Systems for

Anthony Carter may not have known what hit him, but his teammates did — thanks to the program, presented by Dr. Neal Alpiner of Beaumont, that alerted them to .

Alpiner treated Anthony following his injury.

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The effects of a concussion are usually temporary, but they can include problems with headache, concentration, memory, judgment, balance and coordination, the doctor said.

When a patient can go for for seven days without any symptoms, restrictions are lifted. In Anthony’s case, three weeks after his diagnosis, he resumed conditioning with the team; four weeks after his concussion, he resumed full contact.

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Getting better

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that athletes with a concussion never return to sports or recreation activities the day of the injury — or until a health care professional, experienced in evaluating for concussion, says they are symptom-free and that it’s OK to return to play.

According to the CDC, parents and caregivers of children who have had a concussion can help them recover by taking an active role in their recovery in the following ways:

  • Have the child get plenty of rest. Keep a regular sleep schedule, including no late nights and no sleepovers.
  • Make sure the child avoids high-risk/high-speed activities such as riding a bicycle, playing sports, climbing playground equipment or riding roller coasters or other rides that could result in another bump, blow or jolt to the head or body. Children should not return to these types of activities until their health care professional says they are well enough.
  • Give the child only those drugs that are approved by the pediatrician or family physician.
  • Talk with a health care professional about when the child should return to school and other activities and how the parent or caregiver can help the child deal with challenges the child may face. For example, your child may need to spend fewer hours at school, rest often or require more time to take tests.
  • Share information about concussion with parents, siblings, teachers, counselors, baby sitters, coaches and others who interact with the child to help them understand what has happened and how to meet the child’s needs.


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