How To Survive A Concussion With Your Teen

At 11pm on a Monday night my cell phone rang.   My oldest daughters shaky voice whispered down the line.  “Mom, are you still awake?”.  She’d had a fall.  A nasty one that resulted in her tripping and hitting her head.  Hard.  She was dizzy, nauseous and having trouble catching her breath.  In just minutes my Husband and I were in our car and driving (probably way too fast) to get to our girl.

The result of this trip and fall, a trip to the Doctor.  She had a nasty bump and a headache to match.  We needed a professional opinion.  Diagnosis.  Concussion.  Sigh.  Poor kid.  The timing couldn’t be worse.  During the last week of classes, just days before exams.

The signs and symptoms of a concussion are no joke and should not be ignored.  These may include:

• Headache or a feeling of building pressure in the head
• Temporary loss of consciousness
• Confusion or feeling as if in a fog
• Dizziness feeling of ” light head”or “seeing stars”
• Ringing in the ears
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Delayed response to questions
• Appearing or feeling dazed
• Fatigue

So what do you do with a teenage girl who’s just been told no phone, no TV, no school, and absolutely no studying?  Here’s how to survive a concussion with a teen.

We encouraged her to:

*Follow Doctors orders

Treat the pain with Tyonel and dull the ache with ice packs.

*Turn off the electronics and keep them off.  All of them.

*Stay hydrated with lots of water.

*Prioritize sleep.

*Eat brain-healthy foods, and ramp up on an anti-inflammatory diet. Avoid fried foods, sugars, caffeine, artificial colours and flavours. Some favourites include: avocados, blueberries, nuts, flax seeds, cheese, eggs, fruits and vegetables.

We made a plan:

Concussions don’t heal on a time line, but often schools want answers and plans.  If your child’s concussion lands in the moderate to severe category you will have to get a note from your Doctor and make arrangements for scholastic accommodations.  Help your teen to navigate these unfamiliar waters.  I know they are young adults and quite independent, but right now they need to let you help as this ugly concussion is most likely clouding their thinking.  It’s important to be sure they have followed protocol so they don’t jeopardize their academic careers.

While creating your plan keep in mind; that teens typically take longer to recover than adults.

How we fought the boredom:

• Baking or cooking light meals together
• Short walks with the dog
• Listening to audio books or podcasts
• Quiet visits with friends
• Talking on the phone
• Puzzles – if this doesn’t make the concussion symptoms worse
• Chores -low-energy housekeeping tasks like washing the dishes and feeding pets with breaks built in
• Colouring – colouring books for adults can be quite relaxing
• Painting on various surfaces: jars, wood, ceramics, terracotta planters, canvas
• Beading necklaces, bracelets, or headbands

Be patient with your teen and with yourself.  Recovery from a concussion, frankly, it sucks.  It can be a slow and arduous road.  Lean on your Doctor when needed and try and find the joy in the extra time together.

Please note:  I am NOT a Doctor, just a concerned Mom and these are some of the tips and tricks that worked for me.  Take all bumps seriously and when in doubt, get it checked out.  Wishing you all the best!