It takes a team to manage a concussion. Let our experts lead the way.
Facts about Concussions, courtesy of The Centers of Disease Control (CDC):
- Each year, U.S. emergency departments (EDs) treat an estimated 173,285 sports- and recreation-related traumatic brain injuries, including concussions, among children and adolescents, from birth to 19 years.
- During the last decade, ED visits for sports- and recreation-related TBIs, including concussions, among children and adolescents increased by 60%.
- Overall, the activities associated with the greatest number of TBI-related ED visits included bicycling, football, playground activities, basketball, and soccer.
You don’t have to be “knocked out” to have a concussion. In fact, fewer than 10% of concussions result in loss of consciousness.
The Dangers of Concussions
If recognized and treated properly, most children will recover fully from a single concussion. However, kids who sustain multiple concussions over a young sports career tend to take longer to recover each time and are more likely to experience prolonged post-concussion symptoms or cognitive impairment.
A more important risk is something only seen in kids called Second Impact Syndrome (SIS). With SIS, under rare and unpredictable circumstances, a child sustains a second (even minor) trauma to the head while not yet recovered from a previous concussion, which can result in a potentially deadly cascade of events that causes rapid brain swelling.
Learn more about SIS and everything else you need to know about concussions by exploring our pages below.
Sports Medicine Concussion Clinic
The Concussion Clinic at Nationwide Children’s Hospital utilizes the expertise of pediatric sports medicine specialists and physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists, along with neurologists, neurosurgeons, radiologists, neuropsychologists, physical therapists, and athletic trainers to best manage pediatric concussions.
We offer Concussion Clinics at five different locations throughout Central Ohio. For more information about our Concussion Clinic, click here.
What is a concussion? Why is it dangerous to play through a concussion? When can an athlete safely return to sport? How might a concussion affect learning and school? Everything you need to know about concussions is right here. We have created educational guides specific to each member of a concussion management team. From parents, coaches, educators, and school administrators, to the athletes themselves, there’s a guide for everyone! Click here to access the guides.
Baseline Neurocognitive Testing
Click here to learn about our baseline neurocognitive testing, including what this testing is and how to contact us to have your child tested.
Concussions in the News
New Study Finds High School Lacrosse Players at Risk for Concussions, Other Injuries
Researchers say statistics may further debate over protective equipment for girls. Lacrosse is one of the fastest-growing high school sports in the United States, with more than 170,000 students now playing the sometimes hard-hitting game. Read more.
SHINING A LIGHT ON CONCUSSIONS - McKenzie testing whether a new app called Spot Light can protect young athletes from traumatic brain injuries
For the next two years, Lara McKenzie will search for answers to one of the most pressing health concerns in youth sports. The principal investigator for Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Center for Injury Research and Policy is helping lead a two-year project that will test an innovative new mobile application called Spot Light. Developed by a Columbus-based company, Inlightened, LLC,, the app could give parents, doctors and athletic trainers a more convenient and effective way to diagnose and monitor traumatic brain injuries in young athletes. Read more.
Information on Ohio’s Concussion Legislation
Beginning April 26, 2013, Ohio’s Concussion Law regulating concussion education and management in young athletes will go into effect. View frequently asked questions regarding Ohio's Concussion Law.