Sports Concussion Program
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Patient Stories
Teleconcussion care at Children's Health Andrews Institute helps Sawyer get back in the game
In November 2018, Sawyer was excited for her first soccer game back after a 12-week hiatus due to a jaw injury. She had been playing soccer since she was a young child and was thrilled to earn a starting position back after her injury.
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Concussions are a serious matter. While not typically life-threatening, they can have long-term effects on how your child learns, acts and participates in sports. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential to minimize any effects and possibly shorten your child’s recovery.
Children’s Health℠ Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine places a special emphasis on educating patients and the community about the dangers of concussions. Our comprehensive program helps children and teens:
Recover from a concussion
Return to school with learning accommodations, if applicable
Return to sports at the earliest appropriate time
Concussion testing
At Children’s Health, our sports medicine physicians evaluate every athlete with a suspected concussion. Our concussion tests use the latest technology, including C3 Logix and ImPACT® concussion testing platforms. To get an accurate diagnosis, we evaluate patients within 3 types of concussion tests:
Neurocognitive testing: This is a computerized test, lasting about 20 to 30 minutes, that evaluates your child’s brain functioning.
Balance testing: We evaluate 2 components of balance (one involving the inner ear and the other testing how your eyes communicate with your brain).
Neurological function testing: In this question-and-answer test, doctors assess your child’s mental status to determine if your child’s ability to process information has been affected.
Treatments and services
Every concussion is different, and every child who’s experienced a concussion requires an individualized treatment plan. Our sports concussion specialists customize treatment plans based on the child’s symptoms and test results. Concussion treatment services include:
Vestibular physical therapy: These are exercises that retrain the body’s balance system to correct balance problems or headaches.
Ocular physical therapy: These eye exercises treat any visual disturbances caused by a concussion and can improve dizziness symptoms.
Pain medication management, if indicated, helps your child stay comfortable.
Physical and mental rest allows your child’s brain to recover from the concussion.