Max
09-26-2003, 10:41 AM
Severe neck injury sidelines teen
Paralysis narrowly avoided on last tackle
By KAREN L. CAMPBELL, and ERIC REED
Staff writers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public Opinion/Markell DeLoatch
Still with team: Christian D'Annibale, left, watches his Greyhound teammates warm up before practice at Shippensburg Area Senior High School. D'Annibale suffered a neck injury during a scrimmage this year.
Christian D'Annibale made his first football tackle when he was 9.
Last month, the Shippensburg Area Senior High School sophomore made his last.
While bringing down an opponent during an Aug. 16 scrimmage at Biglerville, D'Annibale's face mask hit the ground with such force that his head snapped back. Although he did not know it at the time, the impact broke his neck.
"It felt like someone punched me in the back of the neck," he said.
The 15-year-old stayed in for one more play, knocking down a pass. Then he did something his mother, Teena D'Annibale, said he'd never done before. He took himself out of a game.
"Red flags should have gone up," Teena D'Annibale said.
"I couldn't move my neck toward the end of the game," Christian said.
Teena D'Annibale said that after the game, she immediately took her son to the emergency room at Carlisle Hospital. Doctors took X-rays and discovered he had broken one vertebra and displaced another at the top of his neck. He then was rushed to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey.
He's now in the fifth of six weeks wearing a "Boston Full Body Brace," which covers him from neck to waist. He can't turn his head to look left, right, up or down. After the brace is removed, he will move to a cervical collar and therapy, then meet with doctors to discuss possible surgery.
"He is so lucky not to be paralyzed," Teena D'Annibale said. She said his damaged vertebra was "just a hair away from his spinal cord."
The vertebrae are segmented bones that surround the spinal cord. The spinal cord contains complex nerve fibers that connect the brain with the rest of the body and enable movement. Damage to the fragile cord can cause permanent paralysis.
Teena D'Annibale said her son's injury underscores the importance of taking every neck injury seriously.
"A kid could have no neurological symptoms, but could have a broken neck," she said.
Christian knows his football days are over, although he's still with the team, helping the coaches.
"I know I can never play again, but if I could, I wouldn't hesitate," he said.
Shippensburg Area Senior High School assistant coach Jeff Root said Christian's tackling form was correct on the tackle in which he was injured.
"Christian was playing like he always does -- all out," Root said.
Shippensburg Superintendent Dave Landis said the district's policy is to have a doctor and an ambulance on hand for home football games in addition to the team's trainer. At an away scrimmage like the one in which Christian was injured, only the trainer is on hand.
Football trainer Tom Horst says he hasn't seen an injury like Christian's during the four years he's been a trainer in Shippensburg.
"It's a rare case," he said.
Horst said he has been researching Christian's type of injury since it occurred and says he has found no similar injuries.
Horst said changes in treatment are based on what's learned from previous incidents.
"Its a learning process because every assessment and every injury is different," he said.
Dr. Landis said he doesn't expect the incident to spark a review of school policies. He said the district has established protocols with school nurses and doctors that cover first-aid situations.
Those procedures "seem to have served the district well," Landis said.
Teachers and classmates have been supportive in helping Christian cope with his injury.
His math teacher, Barbara Rank, tutored him on missed lessons at his home for two weeks until he could come back to school.
At the school, a student walks him to his classes and takes notes for him.
His coaches and teammates also have shown support.
While Christian was in the hospital, head football coach Eric Foust borrowed the school's van to take the team to see Christian on several occasions.
"The kids were apprehensive at first about seeing Christian, but seemed to handle everything well," Foust said.
Root, who has been Christian's coach for a year and a half, believes Christian will persevere through his injury.
"I believe God can only give you what you can handle," he said.
Christian's twin brother, James, the Greyhounds' starting center, faces not being able to play football with Christian anymore.
"We did everything together," James said. "I would always sit next to him on the bus while going to away games and now it feels weird not having him there."
Christian said he's made peace with what happened.
"It's not the game's fault," he said.
Football will always remain a part of his life, whether he assists his coaches from the sidelines or draws plays for his team.
"He'll make a great coach," Root said.
Originally published Thursday, September 25, 2003
http://www.publicopiniononline.com/news/stories/20030925/localnews/330429.html
Paralysis narrowly avoided on last tackle
By KAREN L. CAMPBELL, and ERIC REED
Staff writers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public Opinion/Markell DeLoatch
Still with team: Christian D'Annibale, left, watches his Greyhound teammates warm up before practice at Shippensburg Area Senior High School. D'Annibale suffered a neck injury during a scrimmage this year.
Christian D'Annibale made his first football tackle when he was 9.
Last month, the Shippensburg Area Senior High School sophomore made his last.
While bringing down an opponent during an Aug. 16 scrimmage at Biglerville, D'Annibale's face mask hit the ground with such force that his head snapped back. Although he did not know it at the time, the impact broke his neck.
"It felt like someone punched me in the back of the neck," he said.
The 15-year-old stayed in for one more play, knocking down a pass. Then he did something his mother, Teena D'Annibale, said he'd never done before. He took himself out of a game.
"Red flags should have gone up," Teena D'Annibale said.
"I couldn't move my neck toward the end of the game," Christian said.
Teena D'Annibale said that after the game, she immediately took her son to the emergency room at Carlisle Hospital. Doctors took X-rays and discovered he had broken one vertebra and displaced another at the top of his neck. He then was rushed to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey.
He's now in the fifth of six weeks wearing a "Boston Full Body Brace," which covers him from neck to waist. He can't turn his head to look left, right, up or down. After the brace is removed, he will move to a cervical collar and therapy, then meet with doctors to discuss possible surgery.
"He is so lucky not to be paralyzed," Teena D'Annibale said. She said his damaged vertebra was "just a hair away from his spinal cord."
The vertebrae are segmented bones that surround the spinal cord. The spinal cord contains complex nerve fibers that connect the brain with the rest of the body and enable movement. Damage to the fragile cord can cause permanent paralysis.
Teena D'Annibale said her son's injury underscores the importance of taking every neck injury seriously.
"A kid could have no neurological symptoms, but could have a broken neck," she said.
Christian knows his football days are over, although he's still with the team, helping the coaches.
"I know I can never play again, but if I could, I wouldn't hesitate," he said.
Shippensburg Area Senior High School assistant coach Jeff Root said Christian's tackling form was correct on the tackle in which he was injured.
"Christian was playing like he always does -- all out," Root said.
Shippensburg Superintendent Dave Landis said the district's policy is to have a doctor and an ambulance on hand for home football games in addition to the team's trainer. At an away scrimmage like the one in which Christian was injured, only the trainer is on hand.
Football trainer Tom Horst says he hasn't seen an injury like Christian's during the four years he's been a trainer in Shippensburg.
"It's a rare case," he said.
Horst said he has been researching Christian's type of injury since it occurred and says he has found no similar injuries.
Horst said changes in treatment are based on what's learned from previous incidents.
"Its a learning process because every assessment and every injury is different," he said.
Dr. Landis said he doesn't expect the incident to spark a review of school policies. He said the district has established protocols with school nurses and doctors that cover first-aid situations.
Those procedures "seem to have served the district well," Landis said.
Teachers and classmates have been supportive in helping Christian cope with his injury.
His math teacher, Barbara Rank, tutored him on missed lessons at his home for two weeks until he could come back to school.
At the school, a student walks him to his classes and takes notes for him.
His coaches and teammates also have shown support.
While Christian was in the hospital, head football coach Eric Foust borrowed the school's van to take the team to see Christian on several occasions.
"The kids were apprehensive at first about seeing Christian, but seemed to handle everything well," Foust said.
Root, who has been Christian's coach for a year and a half, believes Christian will persevere through his injury.
"I believe God can only give you what you can handle," he said.
Christian's twin brother, James, the Greyhounds' starting center, faces not being able to play football with Christian anymore.
"We did everything together," James said. "I would always sit next to him on the bus while going to away games and now it feels weird not having him there."
Christian said he's made peace with what happened.
"It's not the game's fault," he said.
Football will always remain a part of his life, whether he assists his coaches from the sidelines or draws plays for his team.
"He'll make a great coach," Root said.
Originally published Thursday, September 25, 2003
http://www.publicopiniononline.com/news/stories/20030925/localnews/330429.html