1. My son suffered a concussion on Wednesday; will he be able to play in Friday's football game?

It is recommended that an athlete should not return to competitive sports until they are symptom free, both at rest and with exercise and their nuero-cognitive function returns to normal. Return to play should only occur with permission from your Physician.

2. Can I give my son/daughter any pain medications?

We do not recommend that the athlete take medicine without your physician's permission. Aspirin, Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (Advil, Ibuprofen, Aleve), blood thinners and drugs that cause drowsiness should be avoided. Headache intensity may worsen with too much activity; therefore, rest instead of medicines should be the first choice for treatment. Alcohol use should also be avoided.

3. Can my child participate in school, work or other activities?

Returning to school or work activities will be at the discretion of the Physician. Some school and work activities may need to be monitored, for example: the athlete may need to participate in only half days of school with frequent break periods, homework may need to be monitored, he or she may need to avoid loud music and video games. Academic tests and written papers may also need to be postponed.

4. What are the long-term effects?

It is the opinion of experts that if concussions are properly treated, there are no long term effects for the vast majority of people.

5. How can we prevent concussions?

1. Proper headgear and appropriate fit (football, biking, skiing, lacrosse, soccer, roller blading, skateboarding, snowboarding, or other contact sports)
2. Proper tackling in football (head up- no spearing)
3. Fitted mouth guard
4. Proper management of a first concussion, if that should occur.

6. What happens if my child returns too soon?

If your child is under the care of a Credentialed ImPACT Consultant or qualified physician he or she will make sure that the athlete is cleared mentally, physically, and neurologically before the athlete returns to play. However, if you child's concussion is not properly managed they could suffer what is called Second ImPACT syndrome.

Second ImPACT syndrome occurs when an athlete sustains a second head injury before symptoms associated with the first have cleared. Although, very rare, Second ImPACT syndrome can be fatal.

7. My daughter's teammate just suffered a concussion and she was allowed to return to play sooner than my daughter, why is that?

Each concussion should be treated individually. Concussion symptoms and severity are different for each head injury and the return to play decisions vary based on the individual.

8. If my child has a negative MRI/CT scan why can't they play?

MRIs and CT scans are tests to rule out more significant injuries such as bleeding in the brain or skull fractures. We rely on other tests to help determine the appropriate return to play. We evaluate physical and cognitive symptoms as well as neurological deficits. While we do use the ImPACT Computerized Concussion Test to help assess your son or daughters neuro-cognitive function, it is only one of the tools we use to assist in determining the level of their concussion.

9. If my child has a negative MRI/CT scan why can't they play?

Most insurance companies cover the office visit and the ImPACT exam. However, we always encourage our patients to verify coverage prior to coming to the appointment. You may be able to use your Flexible Spending Account for this treatment.

10. Why can't my child take a follow up ImPACT exam at school?

We perform baseline testing at most of the local high schools. However, if your child suffers a concussion, it is recommended that he or she be evaluated by a physician prior to returning to activity. Due to the medical nature of the Post Concussion ImPACT test, it is only administered in a physician clinic where it can be accurately evaluated and utilized as part of the examination.