"One Boston Day" Inspires Greater Boston Area Neuropsychologist to Heed Mayor’s Call to Give Back

BOSTON - April 6, 2015 - PRLog -- April 15 will now be recognized as One Boston Day to honor the city’s resilience, generosity and strength surrounding the 2013 attacks, according to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.

Mayor Walsh envisions One Boston Day as an opportunity for the community to give back and spread random acts of kindness.  Dr. Diane Roberts Stoler, Ed.D. (Dr. Diane® ), Greater Boston area neuropsychologist, trauma therapist, brain injury survivor, and co-author of “Coping with Concussion and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury” is doing just that.

"If you were within a quarter mile of the Boston Marathon blasts, and are still suffering from persistent symptoms including headaches; fatigue; impaired concentration and decision-making ability, sleep  disturbances; dizziness; loss of taste and smell; reading and communication difficulties; and emotional or behavioral problems, then you likely sustained a concussion, a form of traumatic brain injury, and are dealing with Post Concussion Syndrome,” said Dr. Diane®.

“You do not have to come into physical contact with an explosion for it to cause significant injury. This resulting damage to the brain is called a ‘blast injury’. Any of the approximate 20,000 people within a quarter mile radius of the blasts could have experienced a concussion,” she explains.

The reason why people who did not see the blast could have been affected by it comes down to science.

As explained in the book, Coping with Concussion and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, “The explosion of a bomb or improvised device produces a sound wave called a supersonic wave. The movement, amplitude, and duration of this sound wave results in sufficient pressure within the brain to cause actual tissue damage along with dysregulation of connectivity and brain waves. An individual does not have to be physically moving or in contact with the blast for the injury it causes to be enormous.”

2013 Boston Marathon attendees most likely have been treated for any physical injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), unlike the many concussions unknowingly sustained that afternoon.

It is not widely known that a blast can cause dysregulation of the brain’s neuroconnectivity by overstretching, tearing and swelling. The resulting concussion often goes undiagnosed and untreated, leaving survivors with ongoing symptoms called Post Concussion Syndrome (PCS).

“Nonmilitary doctors are not geared for diagnosing or treating blast injuries. They often do not know what to look for and they have limited training in how to deal with people who have concussions," said Dr. Diane®, who specializes in concussion and traumatic brain injury.

As a brain injury survivor herself, Dr. Diane® knows how the debilitating symptoms can change your life. She also understands that unlike physical wounds, which can be seen, brain injury often leaves survivors feeling alienated, doubted and misunderstood. Her book provides survivors and their loved ones with hope and help, in an easy-to-read guide to overcoming the challenges associated with brain trauma. The book covers all aspects of traumatic brain injury, recovery, and the various treatment options available.

Although One Boston Day is observed on April 15, Dr. Diane® will accept submissions for free books during the entire month of April. To qualify, simply share your story and symptoms, on or before April 30, 2015, on Dr. Diane® Brain Health's website: http://drdiane.com/one-boston/ or Facebook page: http://facebook.com/DrDianeRobertsStoler/.

To learn more about Concussion (mTBI), Post Concussion Syndrome (PCS), and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or the neurological services, resources, and treatments offered by Dr. Diane® Brain Health, please go to: http://drdiane.com.

About Dr. Diane®

Diane Roberts Stoler, Ed.D., is a world-known neuropsychologist, board certified health psychologist, and board certified sports psychologist specializing in concussion and traumatic brain injury. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Diane® is an author, consultant, sought-after international speaker and expert witness providing expert testimony, forensic consulting and cost of care analysis. Dr. Diane® is also a brain injury survivor.

Dr. Diane® has appeared in the American Psychological Association (APA) Monitor, The Boston Globe, and WebMD, and has a blog on PsychologyToday.com. She was also a guest on Tech Talk with Craig Peterson, offering expertise on the topics of Brain Rehabilitation and Brain Fitness.