Dings to the head can be game changers School of hard
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By Star Lawrence
HOW MANY TIMES have you been at your
child’s game and seen a kid who’s been
whacked in the head sit or lie there, momentarily stunned, then slowly rise and either rest
a few minutes or go right back to playing?
That’s against the law in Washington
state. If a concussion is suspected or possible,
the youngster cannot be put back on the field
without clearance from a licensed healthcare
provider schooled in concussion management, defined as a medical doctor, doctor of
osteopathy, advanced nurse practitioner, physician assistant or a licensed athletic trainer.
“Return to play is a medical decision, not
a coaching or parent decision,” says Stanley A.
Herring, M.D., professor of medicine at the
University of Washington, a team physician
for the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners,
and one of many physicians working to devise
guidelines for concussion management.
Herring was instrumental in getting the
law passed, the first of its kind in the nation
and named for a teen who was sent back into
play too soon when concussed—and now is
impaired and confined to a wheelchair.
aches, nausea or vomiting, vision
problems, sensitivity to noise,
balance problems or a tin-
gling feeling. The child
may appear glassy-eyed
or confused, answer
questions slowly, move
clumsily, be unsure of
the score or who is playing, or forget events prior to
the game.
MEDIA BAKERY
It is important to know that
sometimes symptoms don’t show
themselves until hours or even
days later. The brain has been
jolted inside the hard case of the
skull and some brain cells have
died. The ones that remain alive
are fragile and subject to blood flow
and metabolic changes that can kill
more cells.
Herring recommends consulting your pediatrician and asking who
in the community has a knowledge of
concussion. Finding the appropriate person
may be up to the parents. In Washington state,
parents or guardians with a child involved in
a sport have to read and sign a fact sheet on
are fragile and subject to blood flow
and metabolic changes that can kill
more cells.
Once a person has suffered a
concussion, he or she is four times
more likely to sustain a second one.
After you have had one, it takes less
of a blow to cause another.
concussion, he or she is four times
more likely to sustain a second one.
After you have had one, it takes less
of a blow to cause another.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 46
The Centers for
Disease Control and
Prevention, which
reports that as many
as 3. 8 million sports- and
recreation-related concussions
occur each year in the U.S., has
championed the “Heads Up:
Concussion in Youth Sports” program to raise awareness and
change treatment of concussion
in young people.
Although a concussion is often
dismissed as “just another bell
ringer,” it is actually a mild traumatic brain injury, characterized by
a change in mental status. “In the
’80s and ’90s we didn’t know much
about this,” says Gerard A. Gioia,
Ph.D., a pediatric neuropsychologist
at Children’s National Medical Center
in Washington, D.C.
Worst case, Gioia says, is a loss of consciousness. But most concussions fall short of
that, resulting in confusion, dizziness, head-
JUPITER IMAGES/BLEND IMAGES
Hairstyles and cuts that can easily
be re-created at home include:
■ A minor trim, or trimming bangs or
the back of the neck between salon visits
■ Easy-to-care-for children’s hairstyles
■ Styles such as a buzz cut or cropped
hair that need only clippers or other easy-to-use tools.
SALON HAIRCUTS can be expensive. One way to stretch your money is to cut your fam- hair that need only clippers or other easy- to-use tools. ■ A shaved head Cuts best left to professionals include: ■ Elaborate styles, particularly for a special occasion such as prom, homecom- ing or a party ■ Layered styles ■ Extreme changes, such as going from long hair to a short shag style ■ Replicas of celebrity styles These require expertise to cut correctly, Hair today, gone tomorrow ✁
■ A shaved head
Cuts best left to professionals include:
■ Elaborate styles, particularly for a
special occasion such as prom, homecom-ing or a party
■ Layered styles
■ Extreme changes, such as going from
long hair to a short shag style
SALON HAIRCUTS can be expensive. One
way to stretch your money is to cut your family’s hair at home. However, cutting hair at
home is not as easy as pulling out a pair of
scissors and going to work. If you’re not prepared, a home haircut can be a disaster.
■ Replicas of celebrity styles
These require expertise to cut correctly,
and once mistakes are made, it may be
impossible to correct them without drastic
action (see “shaved head” above).
Knowing which cuts to attempt (and
which to avoid) will help you create beautiful
looks right in the comfort of your home.
■ Wrap a towel or cloth around the neck
to collect loose clippings and prevent
squirming or itching.
■ Provide a way for children to sit still
during a home cut (incentives, watching
TV, etc.).
■ Cut hair when damp to keep strands
together and under control.
■ Brush hair carefully and comb
frequently during cutting to keep strands
together and even.
■ Step back frequently to survey length
and cut from a distance for a better
perspective.
■ Start with small trims to gain experience before attempting more drastic cuts.
■ Work with small sections of hair rather
than chopping large sections at once.
■ Remember that wet hair stretches: Cut
hair slightly longer than the desired length
of the dry style.—T. Foster Jones
Finally, for a great-looking cut,
be sure to:
■ Wash hair before cutting.
The Costco Connection
Costco carries the Wahl deluxe haircutting kit.
