Youth Concussion FAQs with Dr. John Brannan

If you are a parent or coach that is concerned one of your student athletes may have a concussion, please give us a call and make an appointment to have the child tested.  Brain trauma can be very serious, especially in children, and it is important to recognize and treat the injury.

What testing is available for those young men and young women playing sports prior to high school?
There are several neuropsychological tests available including, ImPACT , Headminder and SCAT.  The objective for each of these assessments is to recognize the current capabilities of the brain, and how it is in general able to process new information.  These are available at most sports medicine practices, and sometimes on the sidelines of major athletic events.  All three will provide a quick and simple way to diagnose a concussion.

How often should you test your young athletes prior to and after their freshmen year in high school?
Testing the neurocognitive status of your child should not be overdone.  For an athlete playing higher impact sports, I would recommend once per year from age 12 to age 14, but most child athletes should be safe with a test every other year.  Prior to high school, there is less standardization of testing for concussions.  To complete a concussion test once per year around the time of your student’s pre-participation sports physical.

What is the standard test for post-concussion?
There is no standard testing protocol post-concussions, but repeating the test every few days while assessing other features of the clinical picture will provide useful information to help determine finality of the concussive event.

How easy is a baseline test to administer? Where can it be done?
Baseline testing can be done in less than thirty minutes and generally from home on a standard computer.

We hope these youth concussion FAQs have been helpful.  If you have additional questions or concerns about your child’s potential concussion, we encourage you to call us at 513-354-3700 to schedule a neurocognitive evaluation or an appointment with Dr. Brannan!