National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month, observed in January, is a time to increase awareness of winter sports TBIs, promote the need for a cure after a traumatic brain injury, and spur advocacy on behalf of those suffering with the emotional, financial and physical burden of TBI injuries.

National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month calls attention to the fact that, although sports injuries contribute to fatalities infrequently, the leading cause of death from sports-related injuries is traumatic brain injury. Sports and recreational activities contribute to about 21 percent of all traumatic brain injuries among American children and adolescents.

National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month is a public health and awareness campaign for highlighting the dangers of traumatic brain injury and the importance for taking precautionary measures when engaging in winter sports like skating, tobogganing and skiing. TBI stands for Traumatic Brain Injury which is a common result of injuries that involve the head. Every year, there are approximately 1.7 million head injuries in the United States according to the American Physical Therapy Association. More importantly, about 52,000 people die every year due to TBI. It is commonly caused by falling or crashing into another person or objects while skiing or skating. Many of these accidents lead to head injuries like concussions and traumatic brain injury.

The awareness campaign exists because TBI is usually misdiagnosed which often causes complications or the death of the patient. Thus, it is important to spread knowledge of the symptoms among medical professionals and the public. These symptoms may be experienced immediately after the accident or days/weeks thereafter.

Purpose of National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month

The Johnny O Foundation and others like it try to raise awareness of the health risks (specifically concussions and traumatic brain injuries) ordinary individuals and athletes face when they participate in winter sports. It also highlights sports safety and preventive measures for avoiding concussions and TBIs. The main goal of the public awareness campaign is to reduce TBIs in the country.

Here are simple tips for preventing head injuries when participating in winter sports:

• Wear approved, properly fitted and well-maintained safety equipment like helmets
• Stipulate safety rules like no direct hits to the head or other dangerous play
• Encourage safe playing techniques and encourage individuals to strictly follow rules of play during winter sports activities

It is also important to take immediate action in case of suspected concussion. Here are the steps that should be taken when a concussion is suspected during winter sports activities:

• The first step is to remove the individual from play.
• Make sure that he/she is evaluated by an experienced medical care professional in the evaluation of concussions.
• Inform the family/friends of the individual regarding the possibility of a concussion and give them informative materials about concussions.
• Keep the individual out of play until he/she has been thoroughly evaluated by an experienced medical care professional and given permission to return to play.

Conclusion

National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month is a reminder of the dangers of winter sports and the possibility of TBIs and other injuries. For such reason, it is very important to keep safety in mind and take the necessary precautions to minimize the risk of TBIs and concussions. It is also very important to be aware of the symptoms of a concussion and closely supervise someone who is suspected of a concussion or TBI.

“You can’t see, smell or taste radon, but it could be present at a dangerous level in your home. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in America and claims the lives of about 21,000 Americans each year. In fact, the EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General urge all Americans to protect their health by testing their homes, schools and other buildings for radon.

Exposure to radon is a preventable health risk and testing radon levels in your home can help prevent unnecessary exposure. If a high radon level is detected in your home, you can take steps to fix the problem to protect yourself and your family.”

EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency

“About 1 out of 100 Americans ages 12 years and older have hyperthyroidism.  Hyperthyroidism is more common in women and people older than 60.  You are more likely to have hyperthyroidism if you have a family history of thyroid disease, have other health problems like pernicious anemia or Type 1 or 2 diabetes, primary adrenal insufficiency, eating large amounts of food with iodine, uses iodine products and pregnant in the last 6 months.”

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/hyperthyroidism#common)

“Both are disorders of the thyroid gland, but each are completely different in the affect on the organ causing opposite problems.

Confused about the difference between hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism? You’re not alone. The similar-sounding terms can easily be mistaken for one another, but they have very different—actually opposite—meanings:

Hyperthyroidism (“hyper,” meaning “more”) is when there is too much thyroid hormone in the body.

Hypothyroidism (“hypo,” meaning “less”) is when there is not enough thyroid hormone in the body.”

endocrineweb (https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/thyroid/hyperthyroidism-vs-hypothyroidism)

“January is National Thyroid Awareness Month. According to the American Thyroid Association, 1 in 10 people suffer from a thyroid disorder. They also found that at least 1 in 8 women will develop a thyroid disorder during her lifetime.

Did you know, more than half of the people in America that suffer from a thyroid disorder are undiagnosed? Raising awareness about the thyroid is important because it plays a significant role in the human body.

The thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland located just above your collarbone and in front of the windpipe. This gland controls numerous important functions in the human body.”

The Surgical Clinic (https://thesurgicalclinics.com/national-thyroid-awareness-month/)

“The damage caused by glaucoma can’t be reversed. But treatment and regular checkups can help slow or prevent vision loss, especially if you catch the disease in its early stages.

Glaucoma is treated by lowering intraocular pressure. There are treatment options.  Glaucoma treatment often starts with prescription eye drops. ”

MAYO CLINIC (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/glaucoma/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20372846)

“Secondary glaucoma is the name used to describe glaucomas that occur as a side effect or “secondary” to another underlying medical condition or trauma. This differs from primary glaucoma, where there’s no identifiable cause for the glaucoma to develop. Even though the cause of primary and secondary glaucomas may be different, the increase in eye pressure and the resulting damage to the optic nerve are the same.”

Glaucoma UK (https://glaucoma.uk/about-glaucoma/what-is-glaucoma/secondary-glaucomas/)

“The two main types of glaucoma are Open-Angle and Angle-Closure. But did you know that there are at least eight additional types of glaucoma? Most other types of glaucoma are variations of the open-angle or angle-closure types. These glaucoma types can occur in one or both eyes. What most types of glaucoma have in common is an increase of intraocular pressure (IOP), or pressure inside the eye.”

Glaucoma Research Foundation (https://glaucoma.org/learn-about-glaucoma/types-of-glaucoma/)

“Tetralogy of Fallot (teh-TRAL-uh-jee of fuh-LOW) is a rare condition caused by a combination of four heart defects that are present at birth (congenital).

These defects, which affect the structure of the heart, cause oxygen-poor blood to flow out of the heart and to the rest of the body. Infants and children with tetralogy of Fallot usually have blue-tinged skin because their blood doesn’t carry enough oxygen.

Tetralogy of Fallot is often diagnosed while the baby is an infant or soon after.  There are times it is diagnosed later in life; it depends on the severity or the condition.”

MAYO CLINIC

What is it?

A heart defect that features four problems.

They are:

• a hole between the lower chambers of the heart
• an obstruction from the heart to the lungs
• The aorta (blood vessel) lies over the hole in the lower chambers
• The muscle surrounding the lower right chamber becomes overly thickened

More information for parents of children with Tetralogy of Fallot

What causes it?

In most children, the cause of tetralogy of Fallot isn’t known. It’s a common type of heart defect. It may be seen more commonly in children with Down syndrome or DiGeorge syndrome. Some children can have other heart defects along with tetralogy of Fallot.

How does it affect the heart?

Normally the left side of the heart only pumps blood to the body, and the heart’s right side only pumps blood to the lungs. In a child with tetralogy of Fallot, blood can travel across the hole (VSD) from the right pumping chamber (right ventricle) to the left pumping chamber (left ventricle) and out into the body artery (aorta). Obstruction in the pulmonary valve leading from the right ventricle to the lung artery prevents the normal amount of blood from being pumped to the lungs. Sometimes the pulmonary valve is completely obstructed (pulmonary atresia).

How does tetralogy of Fallot affect my child?

Infants and young children with unrepaired tetralogy of Fallot are often blue (cyanotic). The reason is that some oxygen-poor blood is pumped to the body through the hole in the wall between the right and left ventricle instead of being pumped to the lungs.

What can be done about tetralogy of Fallot?

Tetralogy of Fallot is treated surgically. A temporary operation may be done at first if the baby is small or if there are other problems. Complete repair comes later. Sometimes the first operation is a complete repair.

Temporary Operation

In some infants, a shunt operation may be done first to provide adequate blood flow to the lungs. This is not open-heart surgery and doesn’t fix the inside of the heart. The shunt is usually a small tube of synthetic material sewn between a body artery (or the aorta) and the pulmonary artery. The shunt is closed when a complete repair is done later.

Complete Repair

Complete repair tends to be done early in life. The surgeon closes the ventricular septal defect with a patch and opens the right ventricular outflow tract by removing some thickened muscle below the pulmonary valve, repairing or removing the obstructed pulmonary valve and, if needed, enlarging the branch pulmonary arteries that go to each lung.

Sometimes a tube is placed between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. This is sometimes called a Rastelli repair. It’s similar to the type of repair used for some other heart defects.

Will my child’s activities be limited?

Your child may need to limit physical activity, particularly for competitive sports, if there is leftover obstruction or leak in the pulmonary valve, which is common after repair. Children with decreased heart function or rhythm disturbances may need to limit their activity more.

If the tetralogy has been repaired with surgery, and there’s no obstruction or leak in the pulmonary valve, your child may be able to participate in normal activities without much increased risk.

Your child’s pediatric cardiologist will help decide if your child needs limits on physical activity.

What will my child need in the future?

If your child has had tetralogy of Fallot repaired, he or she will need regular follow-up with a pediatric cardiologist. As an adult, your child will need lifelong regular follow-up with a cardiologist who’s had special training in congenital heart defects.

Some long-term problems can include leftover or worsening obstruction between the right pumping chamber and the lung arteries. Children with repaired tetralogy of Fallot have a higher risk of heart rhythm disturbances called arrhythmias. Sometimes these may cause dizziness or fainting.

Generally, the long-term outlook is good, but some children may need medicines, heart catheterization or even more surgery.

What about preventing endocarditis?

Children with tetralogy of Fallot are at increased risk for endocarditis. Some children, including those have had a valve replacement, still have a shunt or have leaks around surgical patches, and need to take antibiotics before certain dental procedures to help prevent endocarditis.