6-Year-Old Boy Suffers 3 Concussions at School in 35 Days

Colin Fredericson
By Colin Fredericson
March 15, 2019US News
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6-Year-Old Boy Suffers 3 Concussions at School in 35 Days
Students walking the hallways at Steuart W. Weller Elementary School in Ashburn, Va., on Feb. 21, 2014. (Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images)

A 6-year-old boy is transferring schools after suffering three concussions in 35 days due to bullying.

Cara Murnan, of Fairfax County, Virginia, said the trouble started in October, when son Mason came home with a black eye that the school said was from running into a fence during recess. But when Murnan questioned her son, she learned that he was shoved into a metal pole by a bully, according to Fox 5.

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Mason is SIX years old, living with a Traumatic Brain Injury—as a result of BULLYING. . It went from waving & blowing our usual goodbye kisses, as we do every morning—trusting he’ll be happy, healthy, and safe—to ending up in an O.R. waiting room, praying he doesn’t have a fatal brain bleed. . If you’ve ever been around Mason (and if not, swipe over to the video), you know that he has THE biggest, sweetest, most loving little heart. . Despite all of that, he was put through an unspeakable amount of physical, mental, and emotional trauma. Instead of roaming around recess without a care in the world, he endured multiple repetitive head injuries, a nearly fractured orbital socket, and dozens of seizures. . This NEVER should have happened—yet, here we are. So, please forgive me, but I REFUSE to let another child [& their parents] endure the heart-shattering, indescribable pain that has completely rocked our world. . That starts with SHARING our story; shedding some light on the egregious and unthinkable new heights that bullying continues to reach; and not stopping at anything, until this culture of bullying ends. . So rest assured, this will NOT break him. His pure heart, strength, and character will remain steadfast—and his unwavering kindness will be a catalyst for the change this world needs. . . . #antibullying #braininjuryawareness #bekind #autismstrong #masonsjourney #autismawareness #boymom #nothingchangesifnothingchanges #mentalhealthwarriors #inspirechange #takeaction @paigemdowd @melissamollet @fox5dc @abc7gmw @nbcwashington @questionablecip @wusa9 @stompoutbullying @autismspeaks

A post shared by Cara Alexandra (@creatively.cara) on

The altercation caused Mason, who has epilepsy and autism, to have a seizure.

“Mason is SIX years old, living with a Traumatic Brain Injury—as a result of BULLYING,” Murnan wrote in an Instagram post. “It went from waving & blowing our usual goodbye kisses, as we do every morning—trusting he’ll be happy, healthy, and safe—to ending up in an O.R. waiting room, praying he doesn’t have a fatal brain bleed.”

The post includes photos of Mason undergoing hospital treatment and a picture of the injury.

After treatment for the first injury, Mason’s parents gave the school principal a note from the doctor saying Mason has a concussion and is not to take part in recess or physical education class.

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We were given the opportunity of a lifetime—“thank you” doesn’t even begin to cut it. As many of you know, Mason has a unique super power—you may have heard it commonly referred to as “Autism.” And when I say super power, you better believe it! . What many don’t know, however, is the multitude of challenges Mason overcomes and the chaos that ensues behind the scenes of seemingly typical daily activities. Children with autism and/or sensory processing disorder have an especially hard time navigating all of the unforeseeable triggers, obstacles, and surprise “meltdowns” in any given moment. Now consider an entire evening outing, centered on a loud, crowded sporting event—a sensory nightmare waiting to happen. . With that said, it was all made possible for Mason and myself thanks to two of the nicest people I have ever met. We are so incredibly grateful to the @capitals very own Nic Dowd, his amazing wife Paige Dowd, and everyone who helped in making this a truly unforgettable experience. . @napd_26 @paigemdowd @nbcwashington #ALLCAPS #autismawareness #sensoryfriendly #masonsjourney #whatsyoursuperpower #firstcapsgame #dowdscrowd #biggestlittlefan #gamepuck #thankscoach

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The next day the school let Mason go out for recess, where the same student pushed him, and Mason hit his head again, this time on the ground, resulting in another concussion.

Some days later he received a third concussion. The boy is now in medical care getting treated for a number of health issues.

“How do you watch your child go through that? We had several trips to the ER, and the trauma center, and seizures. He had uncontrollable seizures the whole way there,” Murnan said, describing her son’s ordeal, via Fox 5.

Happy Easter from this munchkin ????

Cara Murnan 发布于 2018年4月1日周日

Murnan talked about what she feels the school failed to do for her child.

“They need to be a thousand times more transparent. They need to actually address bullying. From the moment they step on that school bus, to the moment they are off the school bus, they’re in their custody.”

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#sundayfunday with my munchkin

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Fairfax County Public Schools is allowing Mason to transfer schools, after being contacted by Fox 5, and issued a statement:

“Bullying and harassment are not tolerated at any FCPS school. As with any allegation of this nature, a thorough investigation is conducted and appropriate consequences assigned, if necessary.”

According to a CDC pamphlet on school children and concussions, a concussions is a traumatic brain injury with impact that causes the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull. The result is a stretching and damaging of brain cells, along with chemical changes.

Some people never meet their HERO — I gave birth to mine.????#autismmom #autismstrong #extraordinary #autismawarenessmonth

Cara Murnan 发布于 2018年4月19日周四

Murnan is or has been involved with autism and epilepsy related organizations, according to her social media channels.

“Some of the most important life lessons I’ve ever learned, I learned from my son,” Murnan wrote in a Facebook post. “Every day he teaches me the importance of living in the present moment. To slow down and be mindful. Truly mindful; fully immersed in the present moment. And always finding joy in the here & now.”

Murnan’s other social media posts about her son include those related to autism awareness.

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