Concussion rates can increase in the summer

August 08, 2019, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

Concussion is a form of brain injury and is a serious condition and can become life threatening if not treated immediately. It can have lifelong impacts on daily living, emotional wellbeing, and brain health. With summer here kids are out of doors more (hopefully) and are less supervised than at school. Cycling, skateboarding, playing soccer and road hockey, trampolining, and swimming are all great outdoor activities but it’s important to remember that the risk of concussion increases as we are more active. This doesn’t mean that activity needs to be avoided rather that any injuries should be monitored closely by a responsible adult, health care should be accessed immediately when warranted, and sport appropriate safety gear (helmets) should always be worn.

Recognizing head injuries is key. The best way to prevent them is to protect the head itself. Here are some tips to keep yourself and your children safe this summer.

1. Know your limits and play within them. Don’t attempt to dangerous sporting activities if you are not skilled in the sport. Work your way up with skill and experience.
2. Always protect your head. Wear your own properly fitted sport appropriate helmet when required. Bike helmets aren’t for skiing, rock climbing helmets aren’t for cycling.
3.  Pay attention to hazards around you before you start play. Knowing what is going on around you will reduce the potential for accidents. For example, if you always go cliff jumping at the cottage make certain to check the area before you jump on every outing. You don’t know if a log or boulder has fallen into the water since you were there last.
4. Don’t mix alcohol and drugs with fun.
5. Know the signs of concussion and seek care immediately if you think you spot one. Signs of concussion evident after a blow to the head, neck or a jarring body impact include: headache or pressure in the head, sensitivity to light and sound, confusion, unconsciousness, sensitivity to odours or motion, drowsiness, nausea, dizziness, a feeling of anxiety or nervousness, lack of concentration, not recalling simple facts like the day of the week or the person’s name.

Anytime you suspect a concussion you should stop all activity, treat immediate bleeding or swelling and seek medical advice immediately. An ambulance should be called immediately if someone loses consciousness due to a blow to the head or body.

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

It is important that you review your accident benefit file with one of our experienced personal injury / car accident lawyers to ensure that you obtain access to all your benefits which include, but are limited to, things like physiotherapy, income replacement benefits, vocational retraining and home modifications.