Video Transcript:
Frequently I will have a parent call and ask me either on a weekend or after their child plays a sporting event and say that they think their child may have sustained a concussion during the play. And they ask what should they do? What can they do immediately to help their player get better and start to heal from this concussion? And there are several things that you can do, especially within the first 48 hours that can really help advance the healing of a concussion. You want to emphasize rest during the first 48 hours. If your child needs to sleep, take a nap, if they need to sleep extended hours at night, then let them do that. That will help the healing. Also, after you’ve had a concussion, you go through a significant energy crisis, and so the brain is low on energy, and so eating every couple of hours will help give the body glucose that it needs to help with that energy crisis.
You also want to avoid screen time, especially if the concussion affected their vision. Then scrolling on a phone or watching TV or watching anything on a monitor may increase symptoms. So the first 48 hours, you want to avoid that. Another tip that may help, especially if they have a headache or a neck ache, is to put an ice pack on their head or neck for like 15 to 20 minutes, maybe two or three times in the evening to see if that helps with a headache. You want to also avoid exertion or cognitive tasks, so you do not want the child to return to sport, especially during the first 48 hours, nor do you want them to try to do homework or something where they have to focus for any period of time. You also, at this time want to start planning on seeking a healthcare provider that is an expert in this field that can evaluate your child and then help your child safely return to sport. Here at LifeMotion, we are here to help you with concussion management and recovery. So please feel free to give us a call. Thank you.
