Youth Hockey Concussion Management

(Newswire.net — January 22, 2019) Bend, Oregon –Youth ice hockey is growing in popularity and is gaining the interest of players as young as 5 years old. The rate of fractures and head injuries from this high-impact sport are increasing as well. Injuries suffered by young hockey players are most commonly located in the player’s upper extremity, with injuries to the spine, face, trunk, and head. Because of the severity of these injuries, a thorough evaluation is necessary after a child has been hurt, especially if they have suffered an injury to the head.  

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury, so it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Unfortunately, preventing head injuries like a concussion in a fast-paced, high contact sport such as hockey is not always possible, but there are ways to be proactive should your child experience head trauma in the future.

Baseline Pediatric Testing

Baseline testing measures reaction time, memory, and processing speed. The intention is to measure how the brain functions when it’s not injured so that concussion assessments accurately determine the severity of a head injury, should one occur. At The Center, we encourage baseline testing for young athletes, so that in the event of a traumatic brain injury, we can compare pre and post-injury data to determine the extent of the child’s injury.

The Center gathers baseline and post-injury data for children between the ages of 5-11 by administering ImPACT Pediatric; a game-like, a child-friendly neurocognitive test that is taken on an iPad.  ImPACT Pediatric is part of a concussion rehabilitation and return-to-activity program designed to aid in concussion evaluation, along with other tests that assess balance, oculomotor, and vestibular processes. It is the first and only computerized cognitive assessment aid for pediatric concussions to receive FDA clearance. The test generally takes 20-30 minutes to perform and is effective for one year, as children’s brains develop rapidly.

Managing a Concussion

If your child has experienced trauma to their head in any sport or activity, it’s important to remove the child from play immediately.  Children who are removed from play immediately following a concussion are much more likely to recover from a concussion in less than three weeks. “It’s important to seek medical attention for concussions because you can have some symptoms that might last much longer than a few days and you can get care that will help you manage those symptoms and return to everyday life,” says Viviane Ugalde, MD, physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor. 

Common symptoms of a concussion are:

–          Problems with concentration or memory

–          Dizziness or lightheadedness

–          Sensitivity to light or noise

–          Change in sleep pattern

–          Double or fuzzy vision

–          Feeling “foggy”

–          A headache

–          Nausea

If you suspect your child has a concussion, and he or she has received baseline testing through the ImPACT Pediatric test at The Center, he or she will be established as a patient and their care will be streamlined. The child can be evaluated at one of our walk-in NOWcare clinics (Monday – Friday, 9:00 – 4:00) by a provider with specialized training in concussion management. The provider will use ImPACT Pediatric to gather post-injury data to measure the extent of the injury, and an individualized treatment plan will be created to return your child to play when he or she is ready. In more severe concussion cases where children need additional accommodations, The Center’s providers work directly with a multi-disciplinary team, along with your child’s school, until they are able to return to normal activities.