March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month. We have certainly heard a lot more about the long-term dangers of repeated brain injuries since chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in athletes hit the news last year, but you may not be familiar with a potentially deadly condition called second impact syndrome (SIS). SIS poses an immediate danger to anyone who has suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), even a “mild” concussion. It happens when a TBI victim suffers a second concussion before the first one has fully healed. It can set off a cascade of events in the brain that progresses rapidly. Just a slight bump or jarring of the brain can shut down the brain stem and become fatal in a matter of minutes.
How it Happens
SIS is rare, but it is usually fatal and those who survive endure severe and permanent impairment. In the typical scenario, a young athlete returns to play too soon after a concussion, suffers a minor hit, often a body blow, and does not lose consciousness. The player seems a bit dazed, but alert and on her feet for anywhere from 15 second to a little over a minute, when she suddenly collapses. The victim’s pupils dilate rapidly, eye movement stops, and then the victim stops breathing.
Preventing Second Impact Syndrome
To prevent SIS, you must prevent a second TBI until the brain has fully healed from the initial injury. That is why it is so important to keep athletes out of play and out of practice until their symptoms have fully subsided. That is easier said than done because many young athletes, anxious to get back in the game, are not honest about lingering symptoms, or do not even really notice them.
Education is essential. Coaches and parents must be on the lookout for concussion symptoms, and player have to be taught what to look for in themselves and how serious the danger is.
Concussion Symptoms
A concussion can occur with no loss of consciousness and no blow to the head. Symptoms include:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Difficulty sleeping
- Confusion
- Disorientation
- Memory problems
- Difficulty concentrating
- Slurred speech
- Repeating yourself
- Irritability
- Personality changes
If you or someone you love has suffered a head injury in the last ten years, be sure to check out our free Head Injury Guide.
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