PCSLearner and other,

Second Impact Syndrome is more a diagnosis than a risk. By that I mean, after a second impact that causes serious problems, it can be diagnosed as Second Impact Syndrome. There is nothing that helps with understanding when Second Impact Syndrome becomes a non-risk.

At five months, common logic would suggest that the risk is low, but Post Concussion Syndrome does not follow any common logic. The issue that needs to be considered is simple.

There are two risks after a concussion. Second Impact Syndrome, that can cause life threatening consequences, and Multiple Impact Syndrome, that can cause life long consequences.

Second Impact Syndrome is a rare occurrence.
Multiple Impact Syndrome is not rare at all.

I suffer from Multiple Impact Syndrome. My first few impacts were the result of chance (falling down stairs at 8 years old, horrible bike fall at 10 years old, assaulted by a bully at 11 years old) A life changing impact as a high school sophomore was the result of lack of understanding the risk of heading a soccer ball.

Plain and simple, I had no idea that playing soccer and heading the ball put me at risk. Of the thirteen or so memorable concussions I have suffered, only that one was the result of putting myself at risk, even if unknowingly.

Most of the others were very mild concussions with no immediate symptoms. The symptoms did not become evident until days or weeks later. I knew I bumped my head at the time, I just did not recognize any immediate symptoms.

So, to make this longer post end, the answer is that you can never let your guard down. Your child will always be at risk of a second impact, either of life threatening or life long consequences.

The greatest risk is from those impacts with a rotational force. This would be a punch to eh chin in boxing, a bad tackle in football, an elbow to the chin in basketball, a helmet glancing pitch in baseball, or a angled header in soccer.

I have commented many times about the weakness in systems like the ImPACT test or CNS Vital Signs that test current brain function but not current brain durability.