614-777-1800
3855 Trueman Court | Hilliard, Ohio | 43026
Hilliard Pediatrics, Inc. - Dr. Tim Teller, MD
A concussion is a type of brain injury. The injury can occur if something hits the head (another head, a ball, something else) or if the head moves rapidly causing the brain to hit the inside of the skull bones that surround the brain. This can cause bruising of the brain, damage to blood vessels, and injury to nerves. Common causes of concussion include falls (skiing, skating, biking, climbing), being hit in the head (baseball, another helmet, hockey puck), and car crashes. Young brains are at higher risk for concussions.
It is not possible to cover all the bases with concussion with a brief handout, so do not hesitate to call us with questions or concerns about your child after their head injury.
There are four main categories of the signs and symptoms.
Do not move onto the next stage if you have a return of your concussion symptoms.
The State of Ohio has a law concerning youth and sports that went into effect April 26th, 2013. The new law states that an athlete must be removed from practice or play if showing signs or symptoms of a concussion and not return the day of the injury. To return to practice or play, the athlete must provide written clearance (usually on a prescription) from a medical professional (MD or DO) that it is safe to return to practice and competition. The law applies to all participants in youth and school sports in Ohio. There is much more information available here:
So if no worrisome symptoms are occurring (see above) and your child is recovering, the ideal time to come in for an appointment to discuss if your child may return to practice and competition is when they now are free of any symptoms. Otherwise, we cannot clear them to return. One of the difficulties in dealing with concussions makes this clearance quite tricky: children and adults lie about their symptoms in order to return sooner than is safe. Since there is nothing we would find on physical exam to tell us that a child is still having headaches or dizziness or a foggy feeling, we cannot detect those children that should rest a longer period of time. We have to rely on what we are told as physicians. Please remember that clearance means being cleared to follow the Return to Play protocol, which does not mean they can go to play as usual that day. We realize this is very frustrating for many athletes and families. But it is the safest thing to do.
Call us during regular office hours to discuss when to schedule concussion follow-up appointments in the office. Realize the best time to come in to discuss clearing your child to return to play is when they are free of any concussion symptoms. Therefore, it may be that you will need to reschedule an appointment if they have not yet recovered.
Concussion Clinic is available at the Dublin and Westerville Close To Home Centers Center, downtown at the hospital’s main campus, and other locations. 614‐722-6200 (press option #3 then option #4). The Concussion Clinic is available a number of days throughout the week. Their website is:
http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/concussions
Last Updated: 05/2019