Blows to head take time to heal

I often think there is a double hit that dulls us to the seriousness of blows to the head.

AN INCIDENT occurred on an Air New Zealand flight to Christchurch last week which highlights how little we appreciate the effects of head injuries. A teenage mountain biker abruptly decided he did not want to be in the plane, fortunately coming to that conclusion while the plane was on the ground - but taxiing. I was one of the passengers, and observed it happening across from my seat. I later wrote up the incident for the NZ Herald.

The pilot told us later, after the plane had returned to the terminal and the man had left, that he had suffered a head injury from a bike accident and this had been his second attempt to get to Christchurch from Wellington.

I often think there is a double hit that dulls us to the seriousness of blows to the head.

Firstly, there's our legacy of playing rugby while concussed. That is unfair in modern terms, because these days it isn't allowed - in fact, people shouldn't be playing the next game, and most coaches respect that.

But we seem to have a misplaced respect for the guy who can play an entire game after getting a knock, and not remember a thing about it.

The other problem is TV and movie fiction, which can show the hero getting knocked out in every second episode and apparently suffer no long-term effects (or even short-term sometimes). It creates this idea that people can get knocked unconscious and get back up to solve the mystery or break free from their captors.

I've seen a family member struggle in frustration months after a head injury, missing words and not being able to retain information - a hell of a thing when you're leading up to an exam.

Mood swings were common. I'm pretty sure it took about a year to come right.

This situation on the plane wasn't a case of someone being a nuisance. Sure, we were delayed, but deep down everyone has a bit of a fear of being in a plane, and it is almost understandable if someone decides they can't do it.

This isn't a case of someone being drunk, or refusing to acknowledge emergency door instructions. It is sad to see, but it was good that the pilot explained the problem. It reinforced what should be obvious: head injury trauma is complex, and it doesn't go away like in the movies.