Mark Bickley Opens Up About Son’s Concussion

Mark Bickley, a former AFL player, is sharing his family’s tough experience with his son’s concussion to help other parents spot the signs. This comes after his son, Xavier, had a serious bike accident that left him severely concussed.

It all happened during a family holiday at the beach. Xavier was riding downhill when he hit a bump and was thrown off his bike. His mom, Tory, recalled receiving a frantic call from him saying, ‘help me, help me, help me,’ completely unaware of what had just happened.

When they found Xavier, he had some scary injuries to his face. At the hospital, doctors discovered that he was not only concussed but also had a broken arm. Tory described the incident as very frightening, fearing they had lost the son they once knew.

Mark, who has had his fair share of concussions during his football career, was shocked by how serious his son’s injury was. He noted, while he typically bounced back quickly from head knocks, Xavier’s condition was really concerning.

Xavier lost consciousness during the ambulance ride, and it was distressing for Mark and Tory when they learned there was a possibility he might need to be put into an induced coma.

Initially, Mark thought that with some rest and care, Xavier would recover fine. However, he learned quickly that things could be much more serious.

After his accident, Xavier experienced common concussion symptoms like confusion, mood swings, and trouble sleeping. His recovery turned into a three-month journey before he could return to his usual activities, including a time when he had to avoid screens and any concentration-heavy tasks.

Now, the Bickley family is using their experience to help others understand concussion symptoms in kids better. Physiotherapist Georgina Leov from the Women's and Children's Hospital emphasizes that losing consciousness is not common in most concussions.

She pointed out that many kids may show subtle signs like headaches, sensitivity to light and noise, and mood changes. It’s important for kids to gradually get back to normal activity levels after a concussion, and not rush ahead too quickly when resuming high-energy sports.

The South Australian government is taking action to raise awareness about concussion symptoms and is encouraging parents and sports clubs to be vigilant. The demand for brain injury rehabilitation services is on the rise, making it clear that more education is needed in this area.