CONCUSSION CHECKLIST FOR PARENTS

At MVO it’s very common for our optometrists to see young patients who have recently suffered a sports-related concussion. One survey¹ showed that as many as 2 in 10 high school students will sustain a concussion this year. Another study² showed a higher rate of concussion in high school athletes vs. college athletes. Adding to the problem is that 5 out of 10 concussions go unreported or undetected³.

Much misinformation exists surrounding concussion diagnosis and management. For example, you don’t need to wake up a concussion victim every hour of the night. And – loss of consciousness is not a requirement to confirm that a concussion took place (or how severe it might be). Clearly there is a need to provide better resources and education to help parents and kids navigate through the confusion. Here’s an informational checklist for parents whose child has suffered a sports-related concussion.

We recommend that our patients (of all ages) who participate in physical team sports visit our friends at Uthrive Athletic. They are qualified to provide concussion testing using the Headcheck Health platform – used by professional sports leagues like Major League Soccer, The Canadian Football League, and the Canadian Junior Hockey League. You can email them at [email protected] for more info.

At MVO our eye care team is part of your network of health providers who advocate for athlete safety. Part of our responsibility is to ensure you are given the proper direction and resources to manage your condition as thoroughly as possible. Ask us for help at your next appointment.

1: Concussion Statistics and Facts | UPMC | Pittsburgh
2: Gessel LM, Fields SK, Collins CL, Dick RW, Comstock RD. Concussions among United States high school and collegiate athletes. J Athl Train. 2007;42(4):495-503. 3: Concussion Statistics and Facts | UPMC | Pittsburgh
3: Concussion Statistics and Facts | UPMC | Pittsburgh