Understanding the Brain, Concussions and Helmet Fitting

1. Understanding the Brain,Concussions and Helmet Fitting

2. The Brain When we move, touch, see, think and feel emotions, we are using our brain! • The brain is enclosed within a rigid skull • The brain is delicate like gelatin • The skull is as thick as 3 pennies stacked up • The brain sits on the skull base and floats in a fluid • The spinal cord is attached to the underside of the brain • The spinal cord feels like a banana or cooked noodle The brain is the boss of your body. It runs the show and controls just about everything you do, even when you’re asleep. Not bad for something that looks like a gray sponge.

3. The Biggest Part -Cerebrum The biggest part of the brain is called the ‘Cerebrum’ it makes up 85% of the brain’s weight and it is easy to see why. The cerebrum’s is the thinking part of the brain and it controls your voluntary muscles – the ones that move when you want them to. So you wouldn’t be able to dance – kick a soccer ball – without your cerebrum. When you are thinking hard, your using your cerebrum. You need it to solve math problems, figure out a video game or draw a picture. Your memory lives in the cerebrum, short-term (what did you eat last night for dinner), long-term (what was that roller-coaster’s name that you rode last summer. The cerebrum also helps you reason, like when you when you figure out that you had better do your homework now because mom is taking you to a movie later. Within the cerebrum you have 4 lobes on each side of it making it a total of 8 lobes. They all have different functions. The largest part of the brain is called the Cerebrum.

4. Frontal Lobe… is at the front of the brain and is your decision making centre. It allows you to solve problems and make plans. The Frontal Lobe is your decision making centre.

5. Parietal Lobe… is at the top of the brain. It processes sensory or touch information coming from your entire body. It also allows you to make movements in response to anything in your environment. The Parietal Lobe is your response processor.

6. Temporal Lobe… is at the side of the brain. It processes your memory, emotion and language. The Temporal Lobe is your memory and communication processor.

7. Occipital Lobe… is at the back of the brain. It takes care of your vision. The Occipital Lobe is your vision processor.

8. Cerebellum… is at the back of the brain it is 1/8 of the size of the cerebrum but it is still very important part of the brain. The word cerebellum is Latin for “Little Brain”. The Cerebellum is your movement processor. Think about a surfer riding the waves on his board. What does he need most to stay balanced? The best surfboard? No he needs his cerebellum.

9. Pituitary Gland… is very small – only about the size of a pea! If your clothes from last year are too small it is because of the pituitary gland releasing special hormones that made you grow. Pituitary Gland The smallest part of the brain is the Pituitary Gland and it is your energy and hormone processor.

10. Brain Stem… is very small but it is very mighty. It sits beneath the cerebrum and in front of the cerebellum and connects the rest of the brain to the spinal cord, which runs down your neck and back. It is responsible for all basic life functions. Whew! It’s a big job being the brain’s secretary!

11. The Neuron The brain is boss but it can’t do it alone. It needs some nerves-actually a lot of them. It also needs the spinal cord, which is a long bundle of nerves inside your spinal column. It’s the spinal cord and nerves – known as the nervous system – that let messages flow back and forth between the brain and body. The nervous system is made up of cells called Neuron’s. They are different from other cells because they have tiny branches coming off it (Dendrites) that let it connect to other neurons. When you were born, your brain came with all the neurons it will ever have. Many of the neurons were not connected to each other. When you learn new things, the messages travel from one neuron to another over and over again. Eventually the brain starts to create connections (pathways) between the neurons, so things become easier and you can do them better and better. • Our skin cells and hair cells always grow back • A broken arm can recover, but damaged neurons cannot

12. Creating a “Pathway” When you first learned to ride a bike, your brain had to think about pedaling, staying balanced, steering and braking. It was hard work right? Eventually with practice the neurons sent messages back and forth until a pathway was created in your brain. Now you can ride your bike without thinking about as the neurons have successfully created a “a bike riding” pathway. When you damage a neuron you will have to recreate the pathway again if you can.

13. Concussions… A concussion is a brain injury. It may involve the loss of consciousness. However, a concussion most often occurs without a loss of consciousness. Concussions happen when bumps, blows or jolts to the head or body cause the brain to move around inside the skull. The brain injury that results can be mild or more severe and can disrupt how the brain normally works. Concussions can be hard to recognize because there may not be obvious signs of trauma. Signs and Symptoms may have delayed onset and may be worse later that day or even the next morning. If you know or suspect that you have suffered a head injury, remove yourself from the activity (including sports) and seek assessment from your doctor! Do not stay alone at any time after a suspected head injury.

14. The only treatment for a concussion is complete rest.

15. Each step should last a minimum of one day. If signs or symptoms return you should return to the previous step and be re-evaluated by your doctor.

16. Helmets Wear your helmet properly to reduce the risk of brain injury! Remember the “2-V-1 Rule” and you will always have your helmet(s) fit properly.

17. Do not throw your bike helmet down when you are finished with it. When it hits the ground it is considered an impact and it is no good to you then.

18. You use a Single Use/Single Impact for riding your bike and Multiple Use/Multiple Impact for playing sports like hockey and football.

19. A Program of Funded by Brain Injury Association of Waterloo-Wellington 5A-607 King Street West Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 1C7 519.579.5300 lidzonkidz@hotmail.com www.BIAWW.com