Why You Need To Have Your Child Concussion Baseline Tested

How Concussions Effect Young Athletes

The province of Ontario has recently passed a bill, which has set guidelines to ensure children are taken out of a game if a concussion is suspected. The bill is named for Rowan Stringer, a 17-year-old Rugby player who has since passed away from rugby injuries. Recommendations for the coroner’s inquest tenure that a child is removed from play if a concussion is suspected and may not return until they receive medical clearance from a healthcare practitioner. Concussions in children have risen since 2003, as almost 89,000 pediatric concussion were treated in either an emergency department or a physician’s office. Jumping from 754 from 466 per 100,000 for boys and 440 from 208 per 100,000 for girls.

What is concussion baseline testing

Concussion baseline testing is important as after a concussion occurs, it is imperative to measure how well your brain functions post-injury. Knowing this important information can help you and your medical practitioner plan an effective rehabilitation program. The first step is ensuring that you plan a comprehensive approach to your concussion program is to complete a Baseline Concussion Test, which effectively is pre-season exam conducted by a trained healthcare professional.

The CBT focus on an athlete’s balance and brain function including learning and memorizing skills, ability to pay attention and concentration, and how quickly he/she can problem solve, as well as present any concussion symptoms. These tests or pre-injury tests can be used or compared to similar exam conducted by a healthcare professional during the season if an athlete has a suspect concussion. Each test takes places during the pre-season and ideally during the first practice, with some tools and assessment elements suggested on athletes 10 years of age and older.

Why is it important

The importance of baseline concussion testing is to test pre-season and pre-injury. Gathering brain function data prior to injury to help make an accurate diagnosis, as well as to establish when they are fully healthy and are safe to return to their sport. This enables healthcare professionals to compare data from pre and post-injury brain function including neurocognitive testing. Baseline testing that is also competing at the beginning of each season also is imperative is concussion happen to repeat, so data can be compared at pre-concussion, the initial concussion, and the second concussion brain function.

What is needed for baseline concussion

Evaluations for baseline testing can be done through neurocognitive tests as well as the following:

• Memory
• Concentration
• Visual Processing/Visual Movements
• Reaction Time
• Balance and Proprioception
• Motor Strength
• Neurocognitive Testing

We are now offering FREE Baseline Concussion Testing between August 15th and October 15th. Learn about our baseline concussion testing by emailing us at info@peachphysiothereapy.flywheelsites.com or by calling 519-358-7342 to book your free test.