[svalley]

I am new to this forum and I am hoping someone may be able to help me. My son (20yo) suffered a very severe concussion last May. He was not hospitalised but in hind sight should have been. He suffered amnesia for about 3 weeks and headaches and confusion. Upon investigation CT scans and EEG and other scans, it was found there was no bleeding or fractures etc. Since then, his memory has been getting worse and to the effect that sometimes he cannot remember a hour before what he was doing or who he saw. He is otherwise fit and healthy. He is still studying university which is a concern in itself. At the time of the accident, he ceased uni for about 7 weeks to recover and did not drive a vehicle for about 6 months under doctors advice. Has anyone else had a similar incident and if so, how long did the memory loss occur. We live in a small country area in NSW, Australia, if that helps anyone.

[Mark in Idaho]

svalley,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. Sorry to hear of your son's injury.

His symptoms sound within the normal range of symptoms for Post Concussion Syndrome. Concussion can vary widely from person to person. His memory struggles are common. I have very little immediate and short term memory in both the visual and auditory areas. There are many ways to overcome these dysfunctions with work-arounds, etc.

I use visual cues to remind me. He can learn to use notes, lists, and any kind of reminder or memory aid to help him with his academics and life functions. He may find he learns better if he combines visual, auditory and tactile senses as he studies. This is called multi-sensory learning.

He would likely benefit from a concussion oriented battery Neuro-Psychological Assessment. This would pinpoint his limitations so he can develop work-arounds. Living away from a congested metropolitan area will make living with prolonged PCS symptoms much more tolerable. With a good understanding of how his brain is and isn't working, he should be able to have a full life.

If he has any specific needs or struggles, post a note and hopefully, someone will have some comments for you. As a mom, give him space to find the new person he has become since his concussion. Try to not compare the new him to the old him. Personality changes are very common. Try to work with these changes rather than against them.

He may need some help as he develops adult relationships. PCS can cause irregular behaviors such as outbursts. Once you and he recognize this, he can learn how to avoid these outbursts with better personal choices.

We are here to help. Let us know specifics and we will try to help as much as we can.

My best to you both.