Concussion Clinic Opens at Cincinnati Children's
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center has opened a concussion clinic especially designed to treat student athletes.
"Concussions are the most common form of head injuries for athletes," said Jon Divine, MD, clinical director of the Sports Medicine Biodynamics Center (SMBC) and director of the concussion clinic. "Concussions are not usually life threatening but the effects can still be serious."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 300,000 sports-related concussions occur in the United States each year. Once an athlete sustains a concussion, he or she is four to six times more likely to sustain another, even with a mild hit.
When possible, Dr. Divine and staff will make a decision within 24 hours in terms of when the athlete will be ready to return to play. "Our goal is see an athlete within 24 to 48 hours of the injury and have the athlete be symptom free before returning to play so there is less likelihood of complications with repeat concussions," he said. "Younger athletes, those under 18 years old tend to have more prolonged post-concussion symptoms then college-aged athletes."
A concussion is a brain injury caused by a blow or a bump to the head that causes the brain to shift within the skull, which acts as a natural protective helmet for the brain. Between the skull and the brain is a layer of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that suspends the brain inside the skull. This fluid acts as a shock absorber, allowing for some movement of the brain before it bumps into the bone.
There are three grades of concussions, including mild, moderate and severe. Mild concussions (grade 1) occur when there is no loss of consciousness, but is marked by an overwhelming sense of confusion. Moderate concussions (grade 2) occur when there is no loss of consciousness, but amnesia develops either immediately or soon after the injury. Severe concussions (grade 3) occur when there is loss of consciousness for any length of time.
Patient evaluations will include:
- A physical examination
- Neuro-psychological testing, including short-term memory, reaction time and problem solving
- Balance testing
- If needed, the patient may also be seen by a pediatric neurologist and may receive an MRI
The concussion clinic is located at Cincinnati Children's Oak Campus. For more information about the clinic, contact the Sports Medicine Biodynamic Center at 513-636-4366 or sportsmed@cchmc.org. Or, you can visit the clinic online at www.cincinnatichildrens.org/sportsmed.
Contact Information
Jim Feuer, jim.feuer@cchmc.org, 513-636-4656
