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Lacroix Source for Sports & Concussions Blog

Concussions
As most of our Shop St. Joseph families prep their children up in hockey gear for the new hockey season, let’s take a minute to chat about the importance of helmets and minimizing the chance of concussions.
I was at Lacroix Source for Sports picking out some hockey socks for my son’s novice team when I came across a “Stop Concussions” Brochure. Having had a son and a past Cumberland Grads billet both have concussions, I wanted to read up and educate myself so that it not happen again.
A concussion or “Invisible Injury” happens when a player or skater is hit directly with a blow to the head or body causing the brain and head to move quickly back and forth and/or side to side. As we all know, the brain controls our body, so when the brain is injured, it cannot properly control our body. When you think or suspect you or someone you know has a concussion, it is important to stop all physical activity, communicate who you or they are feeling, and of course seek medical advice and treatment.
Best treatment for a concussion is rest as all concussions are serious. A parent will be asked to wake their child a few times during the night to ensure that the child is resting well and brain is repairing from the injury.
There are physical and cognitive issues arising from a concussion:
Unaware of time, place, date, etc.
Poor concentration
Forgetfulness
Headache
Dizzy spells
Blurred vision
Difficulty sleeping
Stomach aches or pains
 
Another very useful tool is the helmet. The helmet is one of the most important parts of your child’s uniform. It is essential that the helmet fits the child well. Check the back of the helmet for expiry dates, and never buy a second hand helmet as you are never sure how many times they may have been dropped. Once a helmet is dropped or part of a fall where the helmet hits the ice, it loses its integrity making it less likely to prevent head injury.
Andre Lacroix and his team at Lacroix Source for Sports have been around for over 40 years. They know helmets and hockey and will fit your child into the proper gear. And the best thing, if an item is damaged, a stick breaks, or your child grows a foot overnight, Andre will be happy to help replace the item or get your child into new gear all before the next game.