Written by: Taelor Johnson, M.S., CCC-SLP
We know you live a busy, full, and exciting life. Shuffling kids to and from practices, making sure everyone is fed and on time for all their activities, and managing everyone’s ever-changing schedules. Injuries, while a part of life, are unexpected, and can derail all of these plans that you have so carefully crafted. One common injury that children of all ages can experience is a concussion. Each year, around 2.3 million children under the age of 17 experience a concussion or brain injury. At Enrichment Therapy and Learning Center, we know that concussions can be scary and overwhelming to know what to expect. Together, after seeking medical treatment, we can help navigate and provide support with the healing process.
What Is a Concussion?
A concussion is an instance of temporary unconsciousness or confusion caused by an injury to the head. Concussions are more likely to happen to individuals who participate in contact sports, but can truly happen to anyone at any time.
Concussions can range from mild to severe, with most being mild. Symptoms of a concussion can be subtle and may last for days, weeks, or even longer. Some immediate symptoms include headache, ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, confusion, or blurry vision.
How Do I Know If My Child Has a Concussion?
Concussions can be difficult to recognize in small children since they are unable to explain what they are feeling. Some signs to look for include unbalanced walking, dazed appearance, tiring easily, irritability, change in eating and/or sleeping patterns, and excessive crying. If your child has experienced any form of head injury, it is important to make sure they see a medical professional immediately.
How Can a Concussion Affect My Child Long-Term?
Concussion symptoms can occur for days, weeks, months, or years after the injury and can impact an individual’s overall executive functioning and cognitive abilities. Executive functioning refers to many cognitive functions, such as planning, motivation, memory, attention, and self-awareness. If children are experiencing difficulties with executive functioning, it will make going to school much more difficult.
Suddenly, focusing on what the teacher is saying seems impossible. Managing a schedule is overwhelming. Remembering to do chores is increasingly difficult. Since symptoms of a concussion are often “invisible”, it can be mistaken for laziness or incompetence. This may make the individual feel frustrated or embarrassed. You may begin to see your child becoming disinterested in things they previously enjoyed, or their grades beginning to slip.
How We Can Help Your Child After a Concussion
This is where Enrichment Therapy and Learning Center can step in. We have trained professionals that can work explicitly on these executive functioning skills. Our speech-language pathologists and learning specialists can assist your child by providing them with restorative techniques, compensatory strategies, and adaptive approaches to help lessen the impact caused by their recent concussion. Not only can we provide skilled intervention, but can also provide families with the resources and support they need.
Get Support After Your Child’s Injury from Enrichment Therapies & Learning Center
If your child has recently experienced a head injury and is having difficulties with executive functioning skills, reach out to Enrichment Therapy and Learning Center today! We specialize in helping children achieve effective communication skills and gain academic success. Contact us for more information on how we can help your child succeed.
info@enrichmenttherapies.com
740 Community Drive, Unit A
North Liberty, IA 52317
319-626-2553
infodm@enrichmenttherapies.com
5530 West Pkwy, Suite 300
Johnston, IA 50131
515-419-4270
Sources:
https://www.concussionalliance.org/cognitive-dysfunction
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/concussion/symptoms-causes/syc-20355594
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