Evaluation and management of children and adolescents with sports-related concussion

Abstract

Concussions are common sport injuries, and are particularly common among children and adolescents involved in organized sports and recreational activities. Symptoms of concussion can be subtle, and may be overlooked by athletes, coaches/trainers and parents. If a child or youth sustains a concussion, they should immediately be removed from play and assessed by a physician as soon as possible. The athlete should rest from physical and cognitive activities to allow for recovery from concussion. Once symptoms have completely resolved at rest, the athlete can progress through a medically supervised stepwise exertion protocol before being medically cleared to return to play. It is imperative that everyone involved in child and youth sports be aware of the signs and symptoms of concussion so that an accurate and timely diagnosis can be made, and proper evaluation and management instituted. The present position statement replaces the previous document published in 2006. ©2012 Canadian Paediatric Society. All rights reserved.