A Guide to Concussions by Will

Having spent the last year dealing with his concussion, Will has some advice for others in his position. First, don’t ignore the symptoms. Immediately after Will got hit at a soccer game in Phoenix, he could tell that his vision was off. Even after he was subbed out for a little while, he returned to the game but honestly doesn’t remember playing.

Second, try to stay in a subdued environment to control the symptoms. He and his family went to Buffalo Wild Wings after the game and the noise, lights, and screens gave him a horrible headache. He eventually ended up going to the emergency room and later to SPARCC.

Third, practice and work hard at rehabilitation. Will was able to move quickly through the active rehab program and was doing great on impact but he was still struggling with school and getting headaches. It turns out that Will’s headaches were caused by his eyes not pairing together and his convergence being off. Will was diligent about his eye exercises and did 4 sessions of vision therapy with Dr. Polec.

Lastly, Will would tell other people with concussions to stay patient and focus more on what you can do instead of what you can’t do. Even though Will has missed so many important milestones with his soccer team, he is looking forward to the season ahead. He plans on returning to the field with no reservations.

Will wants to thank SPARCC and Dr. Mo for sticking with him for the long haul. We are so excited for Will to return to his team!