What should I do if I think I have a concussion?
1. Monitor yourself or your child for symptoms that would denote the need for a hospital visit. (This is not a comprehensive list of all possibly dangerous symptoms and anything that worries you as a parent, friend or patient should get checked by a properly trained medical professional immediately.) Someone who has sustained a concussion should not be left alone until they have been seen by a qualified medical professional.

• A headache that gets worse
• Extreme drowsiness and someone who can’t be awakened
• Cannot recognize people or places
• Repeated vomiting
• Behave unusually or seem confused; are very irritable
• Have seizures
• Have weak or numb arms or legs
• Are unsteady on your feet; have slurred speech

2. If no symptoms denoting an emergency room visit are present then call TRCC and book an appointment with the Athletic Therapist. This should be done as soon as possible. If you have any questions the staff at TRCC will be happy to answer them or you will be directed to the Athletic Therapist if more information is needed.
The best concussion care involves early recognition and proper management of symptoms. We are happy to do anything we can to make this an easy process for you and your family.

I think my child may have a concussion. Can we be assessed even if we don’t have a baseline with your clinic?
YES! We will assess your concussion as it presents when you come in. We will monitor your neurological symptoms and treat your associated musculoskeletal injuries to ensure the quickest and safest recovery possible.

Do I need to see the doctor before coming in for an assessment or can we do that after?
NO, you do not need to see a physician before having an assessment at TRCC. Getting assessed as soon as possible following a concussive event, by qualified health professional, is extremely important so please call as soon as the injury happens to ensure the earliest possible assessment time.

What is baseline concussion testing and why is it important?
Baseline testing measures the areas of the brain which may be affected by a concussion. Testing allows us to measure your own pre-injury scores against your own post-injury scores. This information is most useful for monitoring safe and effective return to learn/work and return to play.

What is ImPACT concussion testing?
ImPACT baseline testing is a scientifically validated computerized testing program used to gather pre-injury neurocognitive data. The data is used as part of a thorough return to learn/return to play management protocol to ensure the safe and effective concussion management.

When is it safe for me to return to work/school/sports following a concussion?
Every patient is different within that every concussion can be different. We will safely return you back to work/school and sports only when you are truly ready to do so. We use a stage by stage progression to safely return people to work/school first. Once a patient is able complete his/her full pre-injury cognitive tasks we then take that patient through the standardized six stage return to sport guidelines. Throughout this process we are monitoring for symptom return as well as readiness to progress.