Student Athletes Are Better Off Using Their Heads for Thinking

John Mitty Thursday, May 23, 2013

West Islip, NY – Fifteen-year-old Nicholas Busutti has been a fierce competitor on St. Anthony High School’s volleyball team for the past three years. The last thing he was thinking about was being injured. However, during a recent game the ball hit him hard in the head. Although he did not immediately exhibit symptoms of a concussion, he experienced a severe headache soon after being hit. In addition, his symptoms worsened during the night with nausea and dizziness.

Fortunately, the school’s athletic director knew the probable signs of a concussion and made the decision to remove Nicholas from the game. Also, his parents monitored his symptoms through the night and decided to seek emergency care at Good Samaritan Hospital the following morning. After an evaluation he was diagnosed with a concussion and directed to Good Samaritan’s Pediatric Specialty Care Center in Babylon for concussion ImPACT^® testing, a computer-based cognitive assessment tool. His results were compared with those from a baseline assessment performed at his school earlier in the year. Now on the road to recovery, Nicolas attends physical therapy to improve his endurance.

“We are very grateful for the knowledge and expertise exhibited by all the parties involved with my son’s care,” said Kathy Busutti. “Thankfully my son was properly diagnosed and treated prior to resuming sports.”

A concussion is a common but serious brain injury. It is the result of a direct or indirect force to the head. More than 90% of concussions occur without any loss of consciousness. Signs of a concussion can include appearing to be dazed or stunned, confusion, memory loss and behavior or personality changes. Symptoms frequently include headache, balance deficits, nausea and or vomiting and vision problems.

The Pediatric Center offers the Think Smart^™ concussion management program. The Center has been providing evaluations to middle and high school athletes using a team approach. The program features the expertise of ImPACT^® trained physicians and care providers. ImPACT^® is used by medical doctors, psychologists, athletic trainers, and other licensed health care professionals to assist them in determining an athlete's ability to return to play after suffering a concussion. The Center’s pediatric neurologists provide full neurological evaluations within 72 hours of a head injury requiring Emergency Department care.

It is important to see a physician with specialty training in concussion management if you suspect a concussion may have occurred. For more information on pediatric services at Good Samaritan, call (631) 376-4444.

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Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center is a 537-bed (including 100 nursing home beds), voluntary, not-for-profit hospital located in West Islip.  The medical center, which has more than 3,775 employees and 900 physicians on staff, had nearly 28,000 patient admissions and nearly 100,000 emergency department visits in 2012.  Good Samaritan is a member of Catholic Health Services of Long Island. Visit the website atwww.good-samaritan-hospital.org.

jmitty@longislandyellowpages.com

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