Dr Hive: How to know if a teen has a concussion

[*LC]

One of my teens works at a fast food restaurant. While working tonight, a heavy box fell off the shelf and onto his head while he was working/kneeling by the shelf. He sat down on the floor, because his head hurt. After a few minutes, a co-worker found him and took him to the front of the store. He took headache medicine, and his head felt better. However, his thinking was off ... after he drank something, he poured the rest into the trash and threw the cup into the sink.

 

He came home at the end of his shift. His thinking seemed fine. His head hurts a bit, but not that much. His pupils seem norma.

 

So, what do I need to watch for?

[PeterPan]

I don't know the law, but I suspect that since it's a workplace injury you need to get some paper trail filed so that they can pay for medical care, time when he can't work from headaches, etc. 

 

I had a *very mild* concussion I would say, one with a head injury for which I did not go in. I had exquisite headaches for a week, was disoriented, not myself, and would not have been safe to work out or do things that would raise my pulse rate. Personally, given how it was with me, I would lean toward assuming it's more serious than less and at least get the paperwork filed so he has documentation. There are lists beyond that for when you go in. We watched me and I didn't hit the things on those lists. But my headaches were really significant. I really needed to do NOTHING for a week and let my brain rest. 

 

More significant injuries can involve much longer periods of rest. And whether it's a week or months, if you don't rest it makes it worse.

 

Fwiw, I'm actually pursuing cranial sacral therapy, because after another event I was having headaches that weren't resolving. I found a flyer for a woman who does it for concussions. I don't think it's the kind of thing you do right away, but it's something you could file away for later. I've done one session and it did make it a bit better. I think a typical course is 3-4 sessions to resolve it.

Edited January 19, 2018 by PeterPan

[PeterPan]

Also, I think they say caffeine makes it *worse* and is a no no with head injury. So if he's one to drink pop or tea, it might be something to watch.

[The Governess]

I've also had a very mild concussion. I had a moderate headache but my most troubling symptoms were 1) completely losing my train of thought right in the middle of a sentence, and 2) when I rode in a car my brain felt like it was sloshing all over the place - weirdest feeling and hard to explain - this was what sent me to the ER and convinced me that something was not right.

[Junie]

This is a workplace injury.  The restaurant should have a protocol that they should have already followed.

 

If it were me, I would take him back to work and tell them that he needs to be evaluated by medical personnel.

 

 

[Pink and Green Mom]

I would take your son ASAP to the doctor.   The doctor may tell you to go straight to the ER so your son can have a CAT scan.

 

Mine got injured playing baseball (line drive to the head).  What I did not know is just as there is the more familiar return-to-sports protocol, there is also an academic protocol.  He was prohibited from all screens and schoolwork for two whole weeks.  And once that two weeks was over, if he got a headache during any of those activities he had to be on complete cognative rest for the next 24 hours until he was headache free.  He also was not allowed to drive for some period of time after the incident, per doctor's orders.

 

Concussions are very serious and nothing to be nonchalant about.   They absolutely stink, especially when dealing with a teenager who has the tendancy to shrug things off.

 

 

[fralala]

Call your teen's doctor this morning if there are any remaining symptoms (once all medication has worn off), even if he shrugs them off.

 

It was the right call last night to let him rest and not go to the ER with those symptoms. Confusion after a head injury is normal.

 

At least, this is all what our own doctor told me when I called her after my child hit her head last night. From one worried parent to another, hoping all is OK this morning. Head injuries are scary. And thanks to others who have posted their experiences.

[wintermom]

I would have taken him to the ER or dr right away. Both head and neck could have injuries, and if he's entitled to workers compensation, he'd need medical paperwork. 

[ktgrok]

I would have taken him to the ER or dr right away. Both head and neck could have injuries, and if he's entitled to workers compensation, he'd need medical paperwork. 

 

This. Get him checked out because there is a time limit on workers comp stuff. If he gets an all clear, great. But it will be documented, as some soft tissue injuries take a bit to show up. His work should have had him fill out an incident report of some sort. 

[historically accurate]

Since it was a workplace injury, I would contact the restaurant and ask about their protocol. IE: do they need a specific form filled out or is a general doctor's note acceptable? 

 

My father had multiple concussions; the one I remember - his first symptoms were very close to your son's. He took some pain meds, and then couldn't figure out/remember why he was holding a cup of water. Back then, they didn't do brain rest or anything. He was pretty out of it for about a day, rested for about 3 days, and went right back to life. My youngest had a concussion a couple of years ago. She was about 8 or 9 years old, and she knocked her head on a water slide. She had no real symptoms until the next day. She couldn't seem to hold a thought in her head for more than a minute. She was on brain rest for a week, but honestly, it was a month before she was back to normal. I remember co-op (which I led) was starting back and we didn't know if she'd be able to hack sitting in a class since she was still so spacey. It was about a week I dithered on how I was going to handle it, but she bounced back to normal about 3 days before classes started.

 

All in all, I'd take him in today just in case something shows up a little later and you need the paperwork for his work. I hope he gets the all-clear though! 

[Just Kate]

You really need to contact his work and take him to a doctor to be seen. When my dh has an at-work injury 3 years ago (he fell and ruptured his quadriceps tendon, although we didn’t know it was that serious at the time), I called our family doctor to make an appointment. When they asked what had happened, I told them that dh fell at work. The receptionist immediately cut me off and told me that I had to speak to his work and go through workers comp. Your normal health insurance will not cover you if it is a work related injury. So I would definitely call his work and start the process to get him seen right away!

[Karen A]

The CDC has info regarding symptoms to be looking for:

 

Checklist of symptoms to be looking for immediately and shortly after incident

 

https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/pdfs/schools/tbi_schools_checklist_508-a.pdf

 

Info for parents

 

https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/pdfs/schools/tbi_factsheets_parents-508-a.pdf

 

 

[*LC]

Thanks everyone.

 

I am definitely keeping the CDC lists. I have a couple of older kids who have had concussion training. I have had them look the other time this came up. Of course, they don't live here full-time anymore.

 

He is fine today. Played basketball this afternoon and has a game tonight.

 

I don't know if the manager followed a protocol (because I was told the story out of order), but she was the one who gave him the medicine. she also told him the store would pay for his medical bills if he needed to go. She is the overall manager.

[TechWife]

Thanks everyone.

 

I am definitely keeping the CDC lists. I have a couple of older kids who have had concussion training. I have had them look the other time this came up. Of course, they don't live here full-time anymore.

 

He is fine today. Played basketball this afternoon and has a game tonight.

 

I don't know if the manager followed a protocol (because I was told the story out of order), but she was the one who gave him the medicine. she also told him the store would pay for his medical bills if he needed to go. She is the overall manager.

 

Hopefully the store manager did the correct incident paperwork and filed it. It's odd that she gave him medicine, though, that's a big risk-management no-no.