Freshman Suffered a Concussion after Bus Accident

Kiara Hatton had headaches and was forced to wear sunglasses because the light bothered her eyes.
By Nevaeh McLendon
Staff Writer
 
Freshman Kiara Hatton has been riding the bus home from school since 6th grade. She never had a problem on the bus before. But one day in September, the bus driver did not seem to wait for a car that was blocking his ability to make a turn.

He cut the corner too tight, driving up on a family’s lawn, and hit a boulder that had likely been placed to prevent vehicles from driving on their grass. When the bus ran over the large rock, Kiara struck her head on the window.

The impact not only startled Kiara, but caused her to feel cloudy. The bus driver kept going and didn't ask if she was okay. Kiara had to get on another bus to go home and when she arrived at her house, her mom rushed her to the hospital.

Kiara was at the hospital for four hours before she found out that she had a concussion. She wasn't expecting that to happen, so she was shocked and scared.

Kiara had to go to the doctor for a checkup every two weeks for two months straight. She suffered bad headaches and had to wear sunglasses for the first week because light bothered her eyes. She missed several days of school, plus school work, and after she returned to school, she missed many gym classes.  

At first, Kiara’s parents drove her to and from school every day, because her mom didn’t want her to take the bus. It took Kiara a month to start riding the bus again. She is still scared sometimes, but she has a different bus driver now, so she doesn't have to worry about being driven by the man who caused the crash. Even so, she is more cautious now on her bus ride home.

Kiara felt a lot of stress when the accident and the concussion first happened, but she is feeling better now. She is back in class and allowed to participate in gym.

“It was disappointing that it happened, but I am feeling like myself now,” she said.
 
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Woodlynde School is a private, co-ed college prep day school located in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that serves intelligent, talented students with learning differences in grades K - 12. Woodlynde provides a comprehensive, evidence-based Kindergartenelementarymiddle and high school program in a challenging yet nurturing environment for students with average to above average cognitive abilities (IQ) who have language- or math-based learning differences (such as Dyslexia, Dysgraphia or Dyscalculia), Executive Function Challenges, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Auditory Processing Disorder. Even for those students without a diagnosed learning disability (LD), Woodlynde offers expert and caring teachers in small classroom settings that support academic success. Woodlynde School also offers a post-graduate (PG) program in partnership with Rosemont College as well as a regional Summer Camp for students who learn differently.