lccoon,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. I am so sorry to hear of your son's injury and struggles.

Before I discuss your son, I suggest you contact his coach, school, or other organization sponsoring his football team. It is long past the time when any football team can get away with not properly advising players, parents, and other concerned parties about the risks. signs, and symptoms of concussion.

In my view, his team was outrageously negligent. He should have never been allowed back onto the field nor to play or practice until he was symptom free for two weeks if not the rest of the season.

At 14, PCS is not uncommon. In fact, it is actually more common because the adolescent brain is far more susceptible to injury and long term damage. If somebody told you that youth creates a more tolerant brain, they were dead wrong.

The October incident was likely a moderate to severe concussion. The vomiting alone was cause for an urgent visit to the doctor, usually the ER.

The fact that he has been playing football since 7 years old suggests that he has had many previous concussions. He attitude to play through the symptoms also suggests that he is experienced with concussions. What this history means is quite simple. he has a history of both concussions and many sub-concussive impacts.

Most of the NFL players who have ended their own lives, usually in their mid 40's. did not have extensive concussion histories. They were more likely to have an extensive history of sub-concussive impacts. Concussions often cause the player to take time away from the impacts of contact play.

Sub-concussive impacts get over-looked and toughed through causing a cumulative effect from a game or practice where up to 40 sub-concussive impacts per week are experienced. The research data shows the average football p[layer experiences 600 to 1200 sub-concussive impacts PER SEASON. These are the killer impacts.

My neurologist who treated me for PCS from soccer ball heading when I was 15 years old (1970) banned me from contact sports permanently. I have obeyed that ban but have still suffered 12 more concussions in the 30 years since even though I took precautions with my normal day to day activities.

Your son needs to be home from school until he is symptom free, including being able to read text books.

He will benefit from a number of changes to his day. He needs to avoid caffeine, alcohol, MSG, artificial sweeteners, high sugar content foods, and any overly processed foods. he needs to get good quiet sleep. He should be taking nutritional supplements to help his brain detoxify. This includes B-12 (500 to 100 mcgs daily), a B-50 complex, D3, Omega oils, all of the anti-oxidants (no vitamin C on an empty stomach), magnesium, calcium and some others I am forgetting. Meat proteins is helpful, especially pork.

It would be worthwhile to have his hormone levels checked by a specialist. Not a PCP or endocrinologist. Their standards are too loose. Check https://www.womensinternational.com/..._referral.html for a good referral. Doctors who have a special emphasis on like-extension or anti-aging sometimes have good knowledge in this area.

He needs blood work for Thyroid (4 tests), sex hormones, adrenal hormones, D3, folate, B-12 all tested.

While he recovers, it will help if he has some manual activities to do to keep busy. No video games, AT ALL. Building models (with safe glue), drawing, or anything that focuses on using his hands. Other than video games, manual tasks will not over-whelm his brain. Planting a garden would be a good task just no swinging a pick to loosen the soil.

He can try light reading but should stay away from fiction, especially the literature common to his school age. Fiction requires to much mental effort to keep track of characters, time, and all of the descriptive details. I find I do best reading about mechanical issues. Biographies may be OK.

The point is to avoid any need to multi-task. Multi-tasking is detrimental to even an uninjured and healthy brain. Speak with him in simple sentences as if he is a 3 year old with a good vocabulary. Complex sentences will likely get him annoyed or frustrated. They require too much memory function and complex thought.

He should stay away from any meds except for Tylenol, aspirin, or ibuprophen unless prescribed by his doctor.

I would not be surprised if his neuro is not much help. Most doctors are clueless about PCS.

There is no way anybody can predict a timeline for his recovery. If they try, they are ignorant or just using broad statistical averages.

His best efforts should be used to learn coping skills. There are plenty depending on what symptoms are his biggest struggles.

There are two online aids for you to check out. The TBI Survival Guide at www.tbiguide.com is 84 pages that you can download and print out. The YouTube video series "You Look Great" by John Byler is 6 episodes long and takes about an hour to view all 6. The link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9Xso...ature=youtu.be

You should also get his neck checked out. C-1 and C-2 often get messed up during a concussion. An upper cervical chiropractor can be helpful with this (NUCCA.org). Some PT's have skills at light traction with manipulations that can help. Avoid any "twist the head and pop" chiropractors. That is too aggressive. You may find a physiatrist (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) that can help.

There is lots of good help and support here so don't be afraid to ask.

My best to you both.