Articles Posted in Brain and Head Injury

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Recently, the news of Ohio State University football player Kosta Karageorge has once again raised the important issue of the link between traumatic brain injuries and mental instability. According to an NBC News report, Karageorge allegedly suffered from debilitating concussions. His autopsy shed some light on what happened to him. But there are thousands more nationwide playing football at various levels: club, varsity, university and professional. It is important that these players understand this important information so they can make informed decisions about care and treatment.
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Swedish researchers have devised a blood test that could better diagnose traumatic brain injuries such as concussions.

According to a Reuters news report, this discovery could prevent athletes to return to the field when they are in danger of suffering further serious injury.

Researchers say their method can show just an hour after the head injury how severe the concussion is, regardless of whether there is the risk of long-term symptoms.

In contact sports such as football, repeated concussions are common where the brain has not healed completely after the first blow. This type of injury is particularly dangerous.
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Anandre Thomas, 17, is on life support and may have suffered catastrophic brain injuries after a near-drowning accident at a public swimming pool, CBS Los Angeles report. Officials say the swimming pool accident occurred the afternoon of June 12, 2013 at Jesse Owens County Park in the 9800 block of South Western Avenue. Fire officials say four lifeguards were on duty at the pool at the time of the accident. Thomas was not breathing and had no pulse when lifeguards found him. They called for help and started CPR. But his family members say, Thomas was underwater for more than five minutes before lifeguards attempted a rescue.
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A teenager who suffered traumatic head injury in a skateboarding accident last June is finding adjustment difficult, but he and his family keep a positive attitude about his recovery. They are hoping for an eventual full recovery, but that has not kept his family from having to endure the daily problems associated with brain injury.

“In An Instant”

Everett Zamarron-Smith was riding his skateboard near his home last June when he picked up too much speed and flew backward, landing on his head. His mother, alerted by her son’s friend, raced to his side only to have rescue personnel transport the unconscious teen to the hospital. There, doctors removed a portion of his skull to compensate for brain swelling.

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A 64-year-old woman in a wheelchair died a day after she fell down an escalator at a Metro station. According to a KTLA news report, the incident occurred at the Hollywood/Highland Metro Red Line station on October 16, 2012. Officials say the elevator from the mezzanine area to the street level was not functioning, prompting the woman and her caregiver to take the escalator. Shortly afterward, the escalator malfunctioned sending both women tumbling backwards. The woman in the wheelchair suffered severe head trauma and died a day later. The 48-year-old caregiver suffered cuts and bruises, but is expected to recover. It is not clear if she will face charges in connection with the incident.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of this woman who has been tragically killed here. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
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First of all, know that you are not alone. According to the Utah Department of Health, there are 37 people who are treated and released from an emergency room due to a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every day. An additional 7 people are hospitalized or die each day from a TBI.

Nationally, more than 230,000 people are hospitalized annually and survive, and 50,000 people die each year from TBI-related injuries (Brain Injury Recovery Network).

Second, know that you can in fact get the help you need. There are a great many resources and services dedicated specifically to head trauma and TBI-related injury recovery. Resources and services will vary for each state, but each State’s Health Department should be of great help.

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A 2-year-old child was injured in a Fullerton car crash after an elderly man struck the stroller in which the toddler was riding, the morning of June 28, 2012. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury collision occurred in a crosswalk at the intersection of Yorba Linda Boulevard and Deerpark Drive. The 88-year-old man was driving a Lexus LS north on Deerpark and turned left onto Yorba Linda. He hit the stroller being pushed by the child’s mother.

Crosswalk Collision

The impact caused the child to be thrown from the stroller onto the pavement. The child suffered a head injury. The mother and a 9-year-old child suffered relatively minor injuries. All three were transported to an area hospital for treatment. Several witnesses who saw the collision yelled at the driver to stop, but he continued driving slowly. One of the witnesses followed the elderly man and stopped him about 50 yards away. The driver then remained at the scene and talked to police. Officials are still in the process of determining whether the driver “inadvertently stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake” just before he hit the stroller. The elderly driver’s license is also under review.

My heart goes out to the three injured victims of this pedestrian collision, especially the 2-year-old child who has suffered a head injury. I wish all three victims the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
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A 4-year-old boy nearly drowned in a Los Angeles swimming pool accident that occurred during a gathering at a Woodland Hills home. According to a CBS Los Angeles news report, the near-drowning incident happened at a home on Burbank Boulevard in Woodland Hills, the evening of May 12, 2012. Officials have not released information regarding the circumstances of the accident, how long the child was underwater, or if there was adult supervision around the pool at the time. The child was airlifted to a nearby medical center where he was listed in fair condition.

My thoughts and prayers are with this young victim and his family. I wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
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Adriana Nicanor, 29, was critically injured in a Ventura car accident when she was ejected from the vehicle in which she was a passenger. According to a news report in the Ventura County Star, the single vehicle accident occurred on Highway 101 near Victoria Avenue in Ventura, the morning of May 16, 2011. Ricardo Avila, 24, was driving south when his car veered off the roadway, entered the shoulder and struck a concrete wall. Nicanor was ejected from the car as it rolled over numerous times after hitting the wall. She suffered critical head injuries and Avila sustained a cut to his finger. Avila was later arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

My thoughts and prayers are with Adriana Nicanor following this DUI collision. I wish her the very best for a complete and quick recovery.

Ventura County DUI Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), two people were killed and 63 injured as a result of alcohol-related crashes in Ventura. During that same year, Ventura County DUI collisions claimed 27 lives and injured 475 people.
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Parents are constantly on the look out for how to keep their children safe. Kids, on the other hand, believe themselves to be brave and unstoppable, and often make daring moves that end in minor injuries. Sometimes, more serious brain injury results from a variety of situations children are involved in. Parents can consider the following to help avoid accidents that cause brain damage.

Remember to teach your children how to act around or inside vehicles. When crossing streets, talk about the steps of stopping, looking both ways before crossing, and using crosswalks. Teach them to be aware of their surroundings, especially the actions of nearby vehicle. Inside cars, babies and young children must be harnessed in car seats, and older children must wear their seatbelts. Before operating the vehicle, make sure everyone is “strapped in.”
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