Healthcare professionals, including pediatricians, primary care physicians and emergency personnel, as well as sports medicine, rehabilitation and neurology/neurosurgery specialists may all be involved in coordinating and monitoring treatment of injured patients. Many children and teens can be managed by a primary care physician with basic training in concussion evaluation and management, while some will require more specialized concussion evaluation and treatment because of a more complicated injury and recovery.
Facts
- All concussions are serious.
- Most concussions occur without loss of consciousness.
- Recognition and proper response to concussions when they first occur can help prevent further injury.
- When in doubt, sit them out.
What Children’s National Hospital Offers
The Children’s National SCORE Concussion program advocates nationally for best practices in concussion diagnosis, treatment, and management. This includes the recommendation that a patient have a full assessment by a healthcare professional with training in concussion evaluation and management after a suspected or actual concussion before returning to the field of play or to school.
Partnering in Care
If a patient has suffered a concussion and you would like a specialty consultation or evaluation to assist you in developing a management plan, please call our appointment line at 202-476-2429.
Essential Concussion Care for Long-Term Recovery
Experts in our Comprehensive Concussion Program care for children, adolescents and young adults who have persisting symptoms after a concussion, providing medication management, strategies for alleviating pain and stress and more as they recover.
Resources for Healthcare Providers
We have partnered with colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in developing these resources useful in caring for young athletes:
- Heads Up: CDC Concussion Information for Providers
- ACE Physician/Clinician Form (PDF)
- ACE Care Plan (PDF)
- Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory (children ages 5-12) (PDF)
- Post-Concussion Symptom Self Inventory (youth ages 13-18) (PDF)
- Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory for Parents (PDF)
We have developed other measures to track recovery from concussion. Please contact our program with questions.
Training Seminars
As a primary author of the CDC’s Heads Up: Brain Injury in Your Practice, we offer educational seminars to healthcare colleagues and organizations to train in clinical skills for concussion evaluation and management. If you would like to learn more, please contact us.