There is a formula for who needs to properly react when an athlete has suffered a traumatic brain injury.
There are four parts to that formula.
- The player
- The coach
- The family
- The healthcare professionals
All four parties need to be on the same page. When one is not, the chances of a concussion being mishandled increase.
If a player does not report a concussion, disaster.
If a coach down plays a concussion, disaster.
Healthcare professionals are the backbone of concussion treatment. Their priority will always be the safety of their patients.
But what about parents? They’re around for every moment of their child’s life. When a young athlete is dealing with a concussion, they’re needed even more.
Mia Fortin and her son Alex Oyler were thrust into the discussion on concussions in sports when Alex suffered a serious concussion during a hockey game in November of 2012. Alex was 12 at the time, a pee-wee aged hockey player.
Hockey Nova Scotia would eventually
ban checking in pee-wee hockey and Alex’s story was exhibit A for why.
Alex’s injury ended up costing him significant portion of his school year says his mother Mia,
“He was not able to go to school at all for 5 months. He then returned on a part time basis until he could go for full days.”
Academically, Alex was a strong student, and coped with the significant loss of classtime. Mia was equally concerned about the social ramifications of an injury like this,
“What's worrisome is the social aspect of not going to school or being able to participate in sports. I don't think Alex was depressed but he certainly had very low days. It is very hard as a parent to watch your child go through this and there is nothing that can be done other than waiting for things to heal.”
When your child suffers a concussion, they must physically heal from the injury. Emotionally, the burden is shared by the player and their families. Parents need time to heal as well. They also need the same education that players and coaches receive on how to cope with a concussion.
Some of that education can be provide my health providers that specialize in concussion diagnosis and treatment.
Lifemark is one such company, some of that information parents and players need can be found
here.
A players support system truly needs to be, all in. Alex was fortunate to have a family who understood the severity of his traumatic brain injury. As a family, they made sacrifices for the well being of Alex,
“For a child that was always on the go, it's very hard to stay quiet and inactive for months. I was home with Alex almost 24/7 during this time. It means that what you normally do as a family is put on hold. It was also hard on his brothers who for months had to be aware that you didn't make noise around Alex. We could not all go watch his brothers' activities (also involved in many sports) as a family. I never wanted to leave Alex alone for too long. He became very lonely and insecure.”
Alex doesn’t play contact sports any more in the hope of not suffering another concussion, which his neurologist advised could potentially be worse than his first.
Volleyball however, was encouraged when Alex mentioned he enjoyed it.
Is volleyball risk free? Certainly not. But it provides both Alex and his family a piece of mind they would not have if he were still playing contact sports. Another sacrifice made by a young man and his family for the health of his brain.
It’s not easy for a young Canadian to walk away from a sport they love like hockey. Mia and the rest of Alex’s family have managed to turn a difficult situation into one of optimism.
Alex has played on Team Nova Scotia’s Canada Games Core Team, been an All-Star at the Eastern Elites Tournament in 2015 and enjoyed success at the club level.
Alex’s story is happy, but don’t call this the ending. Alex turns 17 this April, and still has much to accomplish athletically and in life.
Contrast his story today, with what it could have been if his family, or neurologist had allowed him to lace up his skates again at levels that allow checking.
The player, family, coaches and health care professionals all had the same focus, Alex.
When this happens for every concussed athlete we will be able to call all their stories happy endings.
