Caretaking After Concussions
What Behavioral Changes to Expect & How to Provide Support
Encouraged to be there for people you care for after a concussion -
For more support visit Brian Injuries
The brain injury is located where the brain was hit, point of contact.
Frontal - Responsible for executive functioning, planning, organizing, complex thinking, focus and concentration, emotional self-regulation.
Temporal - Responsible for auditory processing, short-term memory, mood regulation.
Concussions prevents the brain cells from operating properly. In the brain’s natural or healthy state, the brain cell maintains the balance of salts and electrolytes inside and outside the cell. It takes energy to maintain that balance. When the brain is damaged, the membrane of the cell leaks in potassium while sodium leaks out. Therefore, the cell must expend more energy to maintain the energy than before. The effect is the brain cell doesn’t work properly in that particular region. For example, if the brain damage and leaky electrolyte balance occurs in the area responsible for memory, then the result is short- and possibly long-term memory loss.
More stress to the brain will add injury and for that reason a concussion injury needs a lot of rest.
Frequent Questions:
1. Do I need to wake my family member up every hour to check on them? No. Sleep is the best treatment after evaluated by a professional.
2. What signs indicate immediate attention?
- · Loses consciousness
- · Is extremely sleepy or drowsy and can’t be awakened
- · Vomits repeatedly
- · Gets a headache that worsens, lasts for a long time, or is severe
- · Has weakness, numbness, trouble walking, or decreased coordination
- · Has difficulty recognizing familiar people
- · Is very confused
- · Has trouble talking or slurred speech
- · Has a seizure (arms or legs shake uncontrollably)
Refernces
Breedlove, S.M., & Watson, N.V. (2013). Biological psychology: An introduction to
behavioral, cognitive, and clinical neuroscience (7th ed.). Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, Inc.
NBIA. (2016). Family After Brain Injury Video By The NBIA. from http://nbia.ca/family-after- brain-injury/