Sorry kids, mom needs to take a sick leave

Occupational therapy can help concussion sufferers get back to life.

Concussions don’t discriminate and can happen to any of us, at any time. Like Natalie. Natalie is a wife, a mother of two young kids under 4 years, and a fitness programmer with her local Community Centre. One afternoon at work, she was putting away a piece of exercise equipment and stood up quickly - not realizing that there was a metal bar directly over her head.

She hit her head hard - was dazed, felt a headache immediately, and was sent home to rest. She followed up with her doctor who diagnosed her with a concussion. As a result of her concussion, Natalie experienced dizziness, slowed thinking, fatigue, disrupted attention span, decreased memory, interrupted sleep, and lingering head pain. She took sick leave from work. But with her young children, Natalie had difficulty resting and needed help to get back on her feet. She was referred to an occupational therapist (OT) to help with her recovery.

How occupational therapy can help concussion recovery:

Functional cognitive screen - An OT determines how a patient is struggling cognitively, physically, emotionally, and functionally. For Natalie, a treatment plan was developed to help improve her function and coping ability.

Energy conservation and pacing - This helps concussion sufferers learn how to better gage energy levels and fatigue - and when and how to say “no”.

Sleep hygiene – An OT can provide education, coaching, and problem-solving to help improve sleep. Natalie’s OT had her fill out an activity log and sleep diary to look at sleep routines and behaviours, and develop strategies to improve them.

Cognitive rehabilitation - An OT will offer education about concussion and recovery; help refer to other treatment providers and recommend cognitive and functional activities that gradually build endurance.

Gradual return to work (GRTW) and life - Natalie’s OT worked with her employer and primary care physician to help her successfully return to work. Her OT completed a job site visit to assess work demands. Together with Natalie and her employer, they created a GRTW plan. The OT also helped Natalie to prioritize her goals as a mother, wife, and individual. Slowly, she was able to return to the meaningful occupations in her life.

If you or a loved one has suffered a concussion and are dealing with the lingering effects, occupational therapy can provide much-needed support. Lifemark has a number of concussion care specialists across the country.