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Summer is almost here! School will be out soon and people everywhere will be enjoying vacations and outdoor recreation. Summer is also known as “trauma season” in the healthcare world due to the number of injuries that can happen during summertime activities. While this is true, there are easy things we can do to help reduce the risk of brain injury.

Here are just a few quick tips to help keep your loved ones safe while you enjoy some fun in the summer sun!

Wear a helmet.

Wear a properly fitted helmet when bicycling or engaging in any recreational activity that may result in a head injury. Although there is no “concussion-proof” helmet, a helmet is a must to help reduce the risk of a serious brain injury. After an accident, replace your helmet because it may not be as protective as it was prior to the accident. Visit the CDC’s web site for more helmet safety tips here.

Wear water safety gear and master water safety.

Whether in a pool or the ocean, wearing the appropriate water safety gear, like a life jacket, is critical to preventing injury. Make sure safety gear is well-fitted, worn correctly, and well-maintained. Always supervise children when in or around water. To reduce fall risk, discourage running near or around pools where the ground might be slippery with water. Teach kids to swim. Formal lessons can protect young children from drowning. Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Your skills could save someone’s life! Get more “H2O Smart” Tips on the CDC’s web site here.

Ensure your home and backyard are safe.

Falls are a leading cause of concussion for both the young and the elderly. To reduce the risk of falls, ensure your home is well-lit and free of tripping hazards, such as electrical cords across walkways, loose rugs, or scattered toys. Consider blocking off stairways with safety gates and installing window guards. Check that outside play equipment is appropriate to the age of the children using it and that it has guardrails to prevent falls as well a soft material underneath, such as mulch or sand.

Be safe behind the wheel.

When you head out on your summer road trip, buckle up with a seatbelt and use age- and size-appropriate car seats that are properly installed for child passengers. The research is clear – belted passengers sustain fewer and less severe traumatic brain injuries compared to those who are unbelted. Find more child passenger safety here.

Be familiar with your surroundings.

When doing outdoor activities, like hiking, or engaging in any high risk sports or motor activities, make sure you are aware of the terrain you are about to encounter as well as your ability to navigate the terrain. Know the depth of water prior to diving into a pool or natural body of water. Always ensure a loved one knows exactly where you are and how to find you. Concussion can occur quickly and cause disorientation that can make it difficult to let others know you are in need of help.

Know the signs of a concussion and get treatment early.

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. Signs and symptoms generally show up soon after the injury. However, unlike a broken leg, the signs of a concussion are often ‘invisible,’ such as a headache, disorientation, nausea, incoordination, and memory deficits.

Learn more about the symptoms at ConcussionSmartMarin.org so you can recognize them quickly.

Occupational Therapy (OT) is an effective rehabilitation therapy for survivors of brain injury, concussion or stroke that is offered at Schurig Center in group classes and in individual sessions. We realize that many survivors and their families are unaware of what OT is and the benefits it offers. Let’s learn more about OT, who can benefit from it, and the services offered at Schurig Center.

Maggie Smida, OTR-L is Schurig Center’s Occupational Therapist. Maggie received her Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy at San Jose State University and is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association. She came to us from UCSF Medical Center where she gained valuable experience in acute care setting. Maggie has created tailored OT protocols specific to brain injury rehabilitation for survivors who are no longer receiving insurance covered OT and who benefit from continued rehabilitation.

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapy (OT) is one of three main rehabilitation therapies: Physical, Speech, and Occupational. The therapy name can be misleading since the purpose is not to help the client get back to work (though some OT’s can do that!). OT’s purpose is to maximize independent living and facilitate a productive fulfilling lifestyle. It’s called “occupational” therapy because the word “occupation” refers to any task a person performs which “occupies” their time. These can be fun hobbies or necessary activities for daily living.

The scope of practice is quite broad! OT’s are trained to address basic skills, such as brushing teeth or getting dressed (i.e. after stroke, living with neurodegenerative disease, etc.) all the way to managing a checkbook and supporting socializing with others. However, most OT’s end up specializing in a specific practice area.

Maggie’s specialization here at Schurig Center is considered non-traditional OT. She focuses on training people living with brain injury to use new “lifestyle systems” that will help them live fuller, more satisfying lives. These systems are devised to support management of daily routine and schedule, help organize personal business and household management tasks, sort out priorities, and facilitate participation in meaningful activities. Typically, these are areas not addressed during traditional rehabilitation stays.

Who could benefit from Occupational Therapy?

A joke in OT training school is that “everyone can benefit from a little OT.” However, it is mostly directed toward anyone who is having difficulty participating in activities they need or want to do because of injury, disease, or disability. An OT’s focus is always to support greater independence. Sometimes the way OT facilitates the accomplishment of a client’s goal for independence is through rehabilitative steps. Other times, it is by teaching adaptive strategies, work arounds, or a different way to complete an activity.

What do you work on in an Occupational Therapy session?

That very much depends on a client’s goal. Typically, OT sessions start with the OT learning about what activities a client wants to get better at doing. Then they determine his or her barriers to participating in or completing the activity. Finally, a plan is created that includes education and training for the client. Each session we work towards the goal.

What is CogSmart?

CogSmart is a 10-week compensatory cognitive training class for people with post concussive symptoms and/or mild TBI. The curriculum was developed by a team in neuro-rehabilitation at the San Diego VA. The course teaches lifestyle management, trains students in coping strategies, and introduces external aids and mental strategies all designed to support cognition function. Here at Schurig Center, Maggie adapted the curriculum to benefit the specific needs of our clients living with symptoms of a concussion.

As the facilitator, what is Maggie’s favorite thing about CogSMART?

Maggie shared that she really enjoys teaching in a small group setting, and she loves the practicality of the course content. Students regularly share what strategies have worked or not worked for them, their own ideas, and complete in class exercises in pairs. It is great to see how the support of those who understand each other can make a difference in the human condition. The peer support seems to have such a positive impact on motivation and facing the challenge of a brain injury with resilience.

Do you think you would benefit from Occupational Therapy?

Schurig Center offers one-on-one Occupational Therapy sessions as well as CogSMART 1 and CogSMART 2 classes based on Dr. Elizabeth Twamley’s protocol from UC San Diego.

For more information and to enroll, contact Schurig Center’s Resource Specialist at resources@schurigcenter.org or (415) 461-6771 ext 100.

Celebrate Summer Safely