Concussion Management (The answers to the following questions are based on the assumption that your child has already been evaluated by a Healthcare Professional and are not intended to aide in self-diagnosis or treatment!!)
Most common questions. 1. Should I give my child Advil or Tylenol? Answer: Tylenol 2. Should my child go to sleep? Answer: Yes 3. Should I wake them up during the night? Answer: Check on them, but do not wake them up. 4. Should I go to the Emergency Room or get a CAT scan? Answer: If their current symptoms are not getting worse, then typically the E.R. is unnecessary and the majority of brain injuries will not show up on a CAT scan. 5. What do I do if they get worse when we get home? Answer: Go to the Emergency Room or call 911. 6. How long is my child out? Answer: There is no set period of time and every concussion is different from one person to the next. On average most people return within 1-4 weeks, but it is not unusual to last several months or longer.
ImPact Testing
1. How does ImPact help? Answer: ImPACT provides computerized neurocognitive assessment tools and services that are used by medical doctors, psychologists, athletic trainers, and other licensed healthcare professionals to assist them in determining an athlete's ability to return to play after suffering a concussion. 2. How much does it cost? Answer: The initial baseline test will be free this year. Follow up exams are TBD. 3. Does every athlete need to take the test? Answer: Competition Cheerleading, soccer, football and basketball have the highest number of concussions so these athletes will be tested. Athletes not playing these sports that have a previous history of concussions should also be tested. 4. When does my child need to take the test? Answer: Each athlete will ideally take the ImPact test during the Pre-season which will be coordinated with the Head Coach and Athletic Trainer.