Anyone have experience with a Concussion?

[lukenick1]

Yes he has seen his Pediatrician twice this week and he is having trouble falling asleep. He is afraid of waking up in a panic. He is exhausted. She gave him a RX for a medicine called Vistaril to relax him but when he took it he woke up so confused and that freaked him out. I am going to try that med again tonight and hope it was just a coincidence that he woke up panicked. He is so anxious its causing him to have loose stools too. This is horrible.

 

[Anne34]

My DD also had s lot of problems sleeping with her concussion last year. Our sports med/concussion specialist told her to first try benedryl, zquill, etc to help her fall asleep since they were over the counter and he didn’t want a prescription of not necessary. She tried many but they didn’t really work. She ended up on a super low dose antidepressant ( I’d have to check the name with her) that also helped with sleep for a couple months. It really helped a lot

 

[lukenick1]

Yes we have been using Benadryl. Last night we tried nothing and he had a hard time. He just can't shut his brain off. He is exhausted but his mind races. This is awful.

 

[lifesavacation]

I have a baseball-playing son who has had that exact situation (hit in helmet w 85mph fastball) and other situations with him, along with the sequelae. And I myself had a very bad concussion last year which caused me a lot of problems.

First - and this is what I see in your son's situation - one of the worst things that can happen is getting a SECOND concussion on top of a first concussion. They warned me about that. It sounds like he might've had a concussion from the first hit (brain slams into skull after an impact, resulting in bruise to area of brain that hit), then got a second after the elbow hit, and that's when you saw the worse symptoms.

Honestly, I would take him to see a neurologist and have him follow whatever he or she says. When I had mine I got different information from different people. It wasn't until I saw the neurogist that I got the best advice. Healing needs to take place, and it can take quite a while. (She told me up to a year, sometimes longer.) It can be stress-producing to experience symptoms from this. For example, I lost a lot of my vision for a while, and it really scared me. And the headaches were excruciating. There are a lot of things that can go along with a concussion (or two!). Please take him to see a good neurologist. Hang in there.

Yes. When my son got a concussion, he was closely followed by the neuro dept. He went to neuro rehab and they were the ones to clear him for regular activity.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

My DS17 was recently diagnosed with a concussion. On May 3 he was at bat for his High School baseball team and was hit in the helmet by a pitch. He seemed fine said it did not hurt and continued the game. About 10 days later he was playing a pick up game of basketball with his friends and was elbowed in the head. He had quite a bump on his head that was very sore but he continued to play for another hour. A couple hours later at home he started feeling nauseous and anxious. He was also sick for the rest of the weekend complaining of nausea, fatigue and just feeling crappy. I never made the connection to a concussion and thought he was experiencing anxiety/panic attacks or perhaps a stomach bug. It wasn't until a doctor visit a few days later that we discovered it was a concussion. Being a Junior this couldn't come at a worse time. He has missed this whole week of school and missed important assignments and an AP exam. Trying to finish up his Junior year being a high achieving student has really put extra stress on him with this injury. So many important things coming up to prepare for College applications and closing of his HS transcript is really such a bummer. He is a high stat kid and now worries this will impact his admission to some highly selective colleges. Has anyone had experience with concussions and also has anyone had this experience right in time for College applications/ admittance? He is worried this will affect his GPA. Thank God he already got through his SAT. It's the nervousness, panic attacks and fatigue that is keeping him from returning to school. He feels overwhelmed by the commotion and noise of the hallways and environment there. Who knew an elbow bump on the head could turn out this way. I always thought concussions happen by traumatic blows to the head and loss of consciousness. Eye opener for sure.......

Those things I highlighted are the same thing... getting hit in the head by anything, even with protection, can cause concussions. And that is very scary that you went over a week without seeing a doctor about it! The longer you wait to treat concussions, the more long-term damage can be done.

So right now, your entire family needs to FULL STOP on the college entrance stuff, the sports, stuff, anything else that doesn't involve letting your son sleep as much as possible, keeping him away from cell phones, TV screens, sports and studying. He's not going to be able to perform these things at his personal best right now and you should not expect it. He needs to give himself a break.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

I have had 3 ( from a extremely a abusive marriage when I was younger) and have debilitating migraines that I have had to use Botox and other treatments for for years .. I was told they would never go away and could just be “ treated “ .. they can cause so many problems especially if you have multiple.. prayers to your family and hope it’s temporary!

 

[emmybee]

Consider avoiding activities that stimulate the brain as well: reading, watching TV, any screen time in general. I really hope you get to a neurologist soon, because his symptoms sound so terrible! I'm very sorry. It's so hard to convince a young person that life's bumps in the road will not mean lifelong consequences. He must take it easy to get better.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My DS17 was recently diagnosed with a concussion. On May 3 he was at bat for his High School baseball team and was hit in the helmet by a pitch. He seemed fine said it did not hurt and continued the game. About 10 days later he was playing a pick up game of basketball with his friends and was elbowed in the head. He had quite a bump on his head that was very sore but he continued to play for another hour. A couple hours later at home he started feeling nauseous and anxious. He was also sick for the rest of the weekend complaining of nausea, fatigue and just feeling crappy. I never made the connection to a concussion and thought he was experiencing anxiety/panic attacks or perhaps a stomach bug. It wasn't until a doctor visit a few days later that we discovered it was a concussion. Being a Junior this couldn't come at a worse time. He has missed this whole week of school and missed important assignments and an AP exam. Trying to finish up his Junior year being a high achieving student has really put extra stress on him with this injury. So many important things coming up to prepare for College applications and closing of his HS transcript is really such a bummer. He is a high stat kid and now worries this will impact his admission to some highly selective colleges. Has anyone had experience with concussions and also has anyone had this experience right in time for College applications/ admittance? He is worried this will affect his GPA. Thank God he already got through his SAT. It's the nervousness, panic attacks and fatigue that is keeping him from returning to school. He feels overwhelmed by the commotion and noise of the hallways and environment there. Who knew an elbow bump on the head could turn out this way. I always thought concussions happen by traumatic blows to the head and loss of consciousness. Eye opener for sure.......

Yes. DH has a lasting brain trauma from a car accident.

DH went to Mayo Clinic in Rochester to see the neurologists there. Our selection here in STL MO is not very good. DO NOT be afraid to get to the best doctor you can to read your son's scans. It matters.

Go out today and get your son those expensive BOSE headphones that are Bluetooth. It is a lifesaver. I know it is super expensive but so worth it!!!

He might be able to navigate school with their use.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yes he has seen his Pediatrician twice this week and he is having trouble falling asleep. He is afraid of waking up in a panic. He is exhausted. She gave him a RX for a medicine called Vistaril to relax him but when he took it he woke up so confused and that freaked him out. I am going to try that med again tonight and hope it was just a coincidence that he woke up panicked. He is so anxious its causing him to have loose stools too. This is horrible.

Xanax helps with concussion symptoms, esp. ear ringing. My dh takes an extended release Xanax.

 

[cedricandsophie]

Given the symptoms he needs an MRI from a neurologist ASAP I can’t believe the pediatrician didn’t recommend one immediately. Prescribing meds is ridiculous. You need a new doctor. If you can’t get into a neurologist take him to ER. All this from my husband who is a personal injury attorney with over 45 years of dealing with clients with concussions and his extensive experiences with doctors and clients.

 

[lukenick1]

UPDATE.......Here we are 4 months after my sons concussion and he still does not feel good. Brought him to Boston Childrens Hospital to see a Neurologist and she doesn't think he is still suffering from the concussion. The concussion specialist (Neuro Psychologist) also thinks he is healed from the concussion. Everyone else....Pediatrician, ER Doctor, Immunologist all say post concussion syndrome. My son had been through so many blood tests and meds since this all happened trying to figure out why he still feels so bad. His current symtoms are aching and headaches behind eyes, fatigue, diarrhea off and on and ringing in the ears. I am going down a check list of ailments trying to do process of elimination because I am given conflicting info about post concussion syndrome. If its not that then what is it is my question? Recently we saw an Allergy/Immunologist and he is testing for auto immune disease. Hearing test for the ringing was normal, could have possible chronic sinusitis but allergist says its hard to diagnose. Brain MRI was normal although Allergist/Immunologist saw white matter spots which is making him suspect auto immune. I just want my boy to feel better, he is so depressed and irritable about this all. Not to mention the anxiety it is causing him

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

UPDATE.......Here we are 4 months after my sons concussion and he still does not feel good. Brought him to Boston Childrens Hospital to see a Neurologist and she doesn't think he is still suffering from the concussion. The concussion specialist (Neuro Psychologist) also thinks he is healed from the concussion. Everyone else....Pediatrician, ER Doctor, Immunologist all say post concussion syndrome. My son had been through so many blood tests and meds since this all happened trying to figure out why he still feels so bad. His current symtoms are aching and headaches behind eyes, fatigue, diarrhea off and on and ringing in the ears. I am going down a check list of ailments trying to do process of elimination because I am given conflicting info about post concussion syndrome. If its not that then what is it is my question? Recently we saw an Allergy/Immunologist and he is testing for auto immune disease. Hearing test for the ringing was normal, could have possible chronic sinusitis but allergist says its hard to diagnose. Brain MRI was normal although Allergist/Immunologist saw white matter spots which is making him suspect auto immune. I just want my boy to feel better, he is so depressed and irritable about this all. Not to mention the anxiety it is causing him

It's hard to see kids suffer like that. My niece, at age 17, also got a concussion. It affected her entire school year. She had problems with focusing and pain and sleeping as well. Even though in images the brain "looks healed" sometimes I think an injury that severe really takes a lot longer. The brain is not a fully understood organ. I think he needs more time to heal. He should be still taking everything easy. No sports, no rigorous homework sessions, etc. The teachers were really good with my niece and she got extra time to complete tasks. I hope they are able to find a path forward in making him feel better. Good luck.

 

[smokeyblue]

UPDATE.......Here we are 4 months after my sons concussion and he still does not feel good. Brought him to Boston Childrens Hospital to see a Neurologist and she doesn't think he is still suffering from the concussion. The concussion specialist (Neuro Psychologist) also thinks he is healed from the concussion. Everyone else....Pediatrician, ER Doctor, Immunologist all say post concussion syndrome. My son had been through so many blood tests and meds since this all happened trying to figure out why he still feels so bad. His current symtoms are aching and headaches behind eyes, fatigue, diarrhea off and on and ringing in the ears. I am going down a check list of ailments trying to do process of elimination because I am given conflicting info about post concussion syndrome. If its not that then what is it is my question? Recently we saw an Allergy/Immunologist and he is testing for auto immune disease. Hearing test for the ringing was normal, could have possible chronic sinusitis but allergist says its hard to diagnose. Brain MRI was normal although Allergist/Immunologist saw white matter spots which is making him suspect auto immune. I just want my boy to feel better, he is so depressed and irritable about this all. Not to mention the anxiety it is causing him

I am so sorry that your son is going through all of this! I sustained a concussion in an auto accident 4 years ago and have never been the same. The game changer for me was getting diagnosed with a binocular vison disorder called Vertical Heterophoria by a neuroptometrist. It is very common and highly underdiagnosed condition in persons that sustain head injuries. Basically due to the trauma, your eyes can be subtly misaligned and the reason that causes such problems is that the brain has to work overtime to correct what it is seeing. The brain becomes extremely fatigued and it in turn can impair the functions it has to carry out. Anxiety is a major symptom of this condition. I've never had it explained to me, but what I think is that you are used to functioning and perceiving the world in one way, and all of a sudden, things don't look the same, you don't feel the same and your brain won't do what it used to; I think that is where the anxiety comes in. The treatment for binocular vision disorders is a pair of prism glasses. I honestly felt about 50% better after first getting my glasses and today I would say I feel 80% better after wearing them for 3 years.

https://www.vision-specialists.com/is-it-my-eyes/ is the website for the eye doctor I go to. I travel 500 miles to see them (yes, they are that good!). They have trained several doctors across the country and there may be one in your area that you can consult with. It certainly couldn't hurt!

 

[cruisingbean]

UPDATE.......Here we are 4 months after my sons concussion and he still does not feel good. Brought him to Boston Childrens Hospital to see a Neurologist and she doesn't think he is still suffering from the concussion. The concussion specialist (Neuro Psychologist) also thinks he is healed from the concussion. Everyone else....Pediatrician, ER Doctor, Immunologist all say post concussion syndrome. My son had been through so many blood tests and meds since this all happened trying to figure out why he still feels so bad. His current symtoms are aching and headaches behind eyes, fatigue, diarrhea off and on and ringing in the ears. I am going down a check list of ailments trying to do process of elimination because I am given conflicting info about post concussion syndrome. If its not that then what is it is my question? Recently we saw an Allergy/Immunologist and he is testing for auto immune disease. Hearing test for the ringing was normal, could have possible chronic sinusitis but allergist says its hard to diagnose. Brain MRI was normal although Allergist/Immunologist saw white matter spots which is making him suspect auto immune. I just want my boy to feel better, he is so depressed and irritable about this all. Not to mention the anxiety it is causing him

Has your son ever done occupational therapy and physical therapy for his concussion? I am an occupational therapist and frequently treat children with concussions. Some kids will come to us months after their concussions, still presenting with symptoms, including the ones you have mentioned. Kids with comorbidities, such as anxiety can take longer to heal. If you have not looked into rehab, I would recommend getting an evaluation done by PT and OT. Speech therapy too if he is having cognitive deficits, such as memory loss. Does he get headaches from reading? Or using screens? Or while doing homework? If so, I would really limit the use of screens including phone, computer, and tv. Have notes printed off for him, versus him taking notes. Make the print larger. Limit the amount of homework each evening. Work with his teachers about doing only a select few problems If he needs to read for school, have him listen through an audiobook. Allow for extra time with completion of tests. Have him complete paper tests/work versus working on the computer/ipad. Don't have him overexert himself, which I know will be hard as it seems like he is a high achieving student. He needs to take breaks though in order to help his brain heal. Work with his school with setting up accommodations that best allows his brain to heal.

 

[lukenick1]

Has your son ever done occupational therapy and physical therapy for his concussion? I am an occupational therapist and frequently treat children with concussions. Some kids will come to us months after their concussions, still presenting with symptoms, including the ones you have mentioned. Kids with comorbidities, such as anxiety can take longer to heal. If you have not looked into rehab, I would recommend getting an evaluation done by PT and OT. Speech therapy too if he is having cognitive deficits, such as memory loss. Does he get headaches from reading? Or using screens? Or while doing homework? If so, I would really limit the use of screens including phone, computer, and tv. Have notes printed off for him, versus him taking notes. Make the print larger. Limit the amount of homework each evening. Work with his teachers about doing only a select few problems If he needs to read for school, have him listen through an audiobook. Allow for extra time with completion of tests. Have him complete paper tests/work versus working on the computer/ipad. Don't have him overexert himself, which I know will be hard as it seems like he is a high achieving student. He needs to take breaks though in order to help his brain heal. Work with his school with setting up accommodations that best allows his brain to heal.

Thank you......who would I go to for a referral for this? Our insurance requires a referral. He cannot exercise since the concussion without feeling nauseous and faint. He feels like he will never get better. he is so irritable from this. Always snapping at me.....family members see a big difference in his mood. He sees a Psychologist too. I wish I could fix him.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

UPDATE.......Here we are 4 months after my sons concussion and he still does not feel good. Brought him to Boston Childrens Hospital to see a Neurologist and she doesn't think he is still suffering from the concussion. The concussion specialist (Neuro Psychologist) also thinks he is healed from the concussion. Everyone else....Pediatrician, ER Doctor, Immunologist all say post concussion syndrome. My son had been through so many blood tests and meds since this all happened trying to figure out why he still feels so bad. His current symtoms are aching and headaches behind eyes, fatigue, diarrhea off and on and ringing in the ears. I am going down a check list of ailments trying to do process of elimination because I am given conflicting info about post concussion syndrome. If its not that then what is it is my question? Recently we saw an Allergy/Immunologist and he is testing for auto immune disease. Hearing test for the ringing was normal, could have possible chronic sinusitis but allergist says its hard to diagnose. Brain MRI was normal although Allergist/Immunologist saw white matter spots which is making him suspect auto immune. I just want my boy to feel better, he is so depressed and irritable about this all. Not to mention the anxiety it is causing him

So sorry to read this update. How difficult. I also found when I had my own concussion that I was getting lots of different information from lots of different doctors. I think I saw about five or six different people and they each told me different things, too; lots of conflicting information. Fortunately, I had very good results with the neurologist I saw.

I'm quoting my previous post on this thread for emphasis on the bolded.

I have a baseball-playing son who has had that exact situation (hit in helmet w 85mph fastball) and other situations with him, along with the sequelae. And I myself had a very bad concussion last year which caused me a lot of problems.

First - and this is what I see in your son's situation - one of the worst things that can happen is getting a SECOND concussion on top of a first concussion. They warned me about that. It sounds like he might've had a concussion from the first hit (brain slams into skull after an impact, resulting in bruise to area of brain that hit), then got a second after the elbow hit, and that's when you saw the worse symptoms.

Honestly, I would take him to see a neurologist and have him follow whatever he or she says. When I had mine I got different information from different people. It wasn't until I saw the neurogist that I got the best advice. Healing needs to take place, and it can take quite a while. (She told me up to a year, sometimes longer.) It can be stress-producing to experience symptoms from this. For example, I lost a lot of my vision for a while, and it really scared me. And the headaches were excruciating. There are a lot of things that can go along with a concussion (or two!). Please take him to see a good neurologist. Hang in there.

Did the neurologist say anything to you about his having TWO probable concussions? It is well known in the concussion community that having two can be disastrous. I mentioned in my first post here, when I had my concussion the neurologist I saw spent several minutes talking to me about avoiding a second one. She actually said things like make sure you hold onto railings and things so I didn't fall, etc. Because, she said, I did NOT want to have a second one on top of the first, no matter what. This is when things can get really bad, she said. So that is the sense I'm getting here with your son. (And it sounds like most of the other doctors you see also feel it is post-concussion syndrome.) My neurologist was clear that it can take a year or longer to heal from a single concussion. It's really frustrating to be in a place where you don't know which way to turn next.

I do think that having some of these symptoms can cause anxiety (I was freaking out a bit about my vision myself; thankfully it returned relatively quickly). Given the stress he's been under, along with the symptoms he's been having, it would be fairly easy for him to get into a pattern where his anxiety can build up, so it will probably be helpful to institute some measures to help his anxiety in a general way. (Look to The Wellness Book.) Most of the symptoms you mention can be related to post-concussion syndrome, of course! (The diarrhea, I would have to research, but I wonder if that might be related to the anxiety, which is known to increase stomach acid, or if his eating habits have changed, etc.) And remember that even without having this going on, senior year in and of itself and all the pressures it entails can be anxiety-provoking even in absence of a concussion (or two). So I think that working in a general way on that might help. I'm not sure I'd even be looking for other causes at this point if several doctors think it's post-concussion syndrome. You can always get another opinion from a different neurologist if you want, too. (The question is, who to see?) The thing is, there's often not a lot they do for it other than counseling you of how to deal with your symptoms. I think some of the immediate pp's had some great information and ideas. The one thing that the neurologist did for me was some cognitive testing such as short term memory and such which helped her ascertain what was going on with me. Did the neurologist your son saw do that?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

So having one concussion on top of another is called Second Impact Syndrome. Some of the cases out there you read about are very devastating. But much of this probably depends on the degree of injury. In your son's case he might've had a relatively small degree of injury with the hits he had but they were enough to cause problems for him. The whole idea is that a second concussion occurs before the first one is healed and causes additional swellling and injury to parts of the brain. (And additionally it can be worse in brains that are not fully developed yet, such as in children and young adults.)

Here is an article that talks a little bit about it in pediatrics.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/261726.php

 

[cruisingbean]

Thank you......who would I go to for a referral for this? Our insurance requires a referral. He cannot exercise since the concussion without feeling nauseous and faint. He feels like he will never get better. he is so irritable from this. Always snapping at me.....family members see a big difference in his mood. He sees a Psychologist too. I wish I could fix him.

I'm so sorry what your son and your family is going through. Concussions can be very stressful and life changing. I would recommend going to your primary doctor and ask for a referral. Check with your local hospitals to see if they have a concussion clinic. This would be my first referral as the concussion clinic will then give you an appropriate referral to see a PT and OT. If there is not a local concussion clinic by you, ask your son's primary doctor for a referral to see a physical therapist and occupational therapist. I would then search through your local hospitals and clinics to find a PT that works on vestibular rehab and an OT to work on vision rehab. It works best if he is receiving both disciplines at the same time, however not on the same day.