Concussion Care
You want the best for your child, especially when it comes to serious issues like concussions and traumatic brain injuries. At Children’s Wisconsin, we offer top-tier concussion care designed specifically for young athletes' developing brains.
Our dedicated concussion line is staffed by licensed athletic trainers Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They are ready to address your questions and concerns promptly. Messages left outside of business hours will be returned as quickly as we can.
Request an appointment or call our concussion line at (414) 337-8000.
Reasons To Choose Children’s Wisconsin for Concussion Care
100% Focused on KidsWe recognize children have unique physical and psychological needs that require specialized training and equipment to care for them properly.
Our Multidisciplinary ApproachOur concussion care involves specialists from multiple disciplines, including sports medicine physicians, neuropsychologists, sports psychologists and licensed athletic trainers. Each member has an essential part to play at different stages of recovery.
Comprehensive Concussion ProgramOur comprehensive Concussion Program is designed with a focus on treating concussions in young athletes' developing brains.
What To Expect During Your Child’s Concussion Evaluation
Concussion evaluations start with a comprehensive history and medical exam with a licensed athletic trainer and a physician. This is done to confirm concussion diagnosis and evaluate for complications.
This comprehensive evaluation can take up to one and a half hours, so please plan for an extended time in the clinic. We will educate you and your child on the typical course of a concussion and the need for physical and mental rest. Together, we will discuss what to expect through the recovery process.
Schedule a Baseline Concussion Test
Middle school athletes should receive a baseline concussion test every year and high school athletes every other year. Baseline concussion tests assess an athlete’s balance and brain function before physical activity begins. After a suspected concussion, another test may be done. This helps sports medicine specialists diagnose a concussion, determine severity, devise a treatment plan and make return-to-play decisions.
How to schedule testing
Baseline concussion testing is offered for a $25 fee and are available at the following locations:
Please call our concussion line at (414) 337-8000 or schedule online via the location links above.
Concussion FAQ
Most concussions do not involve a loss of consciousness (LOC). Nor does LOC indicate a more severe injury.
Concussions cannot be detected by neuroimaging tests. Concussions are typically diagnosed by careful examination of the signs and symptoms after the injury. Symptoms during a concussion are thought to be due to an energy crisis in the brain cells (neurons), causing the cells to stop functioning normally. Because of the injury, there is not enough "fuel" (sugar/glucose) for the cells to work efficiently to help you play or think. While a CT scan or MRI may be used after head trauma to look for bleeding or bruising in the brain, a scan will be normal after a concussion. A negative scan does not mean that a concussion did not occur.
We do not recommend dark room or "cocoon" therapy for treatment since it has not been shown to decrease the time of recovery. While it is appropriate at first to avoid visual stimulation — including video games, computers, texting, television and reading — you should not go to the extreme of a dark room to enhance recovery.