Vim & Vigor - Fall 2018 - Parrish Medical Center - 41

IS BASELINE CONCUSSION
TESTING EFFECTIVE?

WEBSITE

A Heads-Up About
Concussions

Concussion screenings are now being used in sports at all levels-from high
school to professional-to help determine whether an athlete is ready to
return to play. The individual takes an exam via computer that tests his or
her cognitive abilities, and the results serve as a baseline to retest against
For a wealth of resources about concussion
after a suspected concussion. But are these tests effective? Parrish Medical
prevention, including how to select the best
Group's Anthony Allotta, DO, who serves as the team physician for Space
helmet and how to keep kids safe on the
Coast High School's athletic programs, sees two potential challenges:
playground, visit cdc.gov/headsup.
3 Effectiveness. "A computerized test can't assess headache, sleeping
problems and other signs of concussion," Dr. Allotta says. "Someone with a
suspected concussion should be assessed by a physician."
3 Sabotage. Professional athletes have admitted to bombing their baseline scores so that their results look the same after a potential concussion. But,
Look for Vision
experts say, someone skilled at reading an ImPACT test should be able to discern
Problems
between a normal test and one that's been failed on purpose.
Issues with sight, such
Dr. Allotta, an osteopathic manipulative treatment and family medicine physias blurry or double vision, can be
cian with a specialty in sports medicine, says concussion tests are only as effective
as the person assessing the test results and shouldn't be used as a stand-alone.
challenging to detect-both by the

Watch for
Physical
Symptoms

PHOTO AND ICONS BY GETTY IMAGES

There are obvious physical signs
that warrant a trip to the emergency
department: loss of consciousness,
seizures or not being able to move
an arm or leg. But more subtle signs
including headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light, or nausea and vomiting can also indicate a problem and
should be brought to the attention
of a doctor.

Don't Ignore
Emotional
Changes

"If your child is acting anxious,
or more emotional, sad or irritable than usual, it's something
you'll want to pay attention to,"
Raukar says.

Beware
Cognitive
Problems

You may not notice problems with
memory or concentration until your
child needs to use those skills, Raukar
says. Once at school, he or she
might have difficulties. "They may
just feel foggy," she says. "It's like
they're looking at the world through
a TV with rabbit ears rather than
high-def."

Monitor Sleep

Concussions tend to cause
sleep disturbances in one
of two ways: The individual might
feel tired and want to sleep all the
time, or he or she may have difficulty
falling asleep. "Lethargy is more
common, but it's usually one or the
other," Raukar says.

parent and the child-especially if
they are minor. But ask your child
about any vision problems and see
a doctor if you have concerns or
notice changes.

Assess Their
Balance

Balance problems aren't
always as noticeable as one might
think, Raukar says. And they can
develop a while after the incident.
Look for signs in the child's gait when
walking or if he or she seems to be
leaning to one side when standing.
If you're still not sure how to proceed-whether that means pulling
your child from play at school or taking him or her to the doctor, Raukar
recommends following the mantra,
"When in doubt, sit them out."
"You want to give them time to
rest and observe them, and definitely
take them to the doctor if you see
any of these symptoms," she says. ■

FALL 2018

http://www.cdc.gov/headsup

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