Site Map

Concussion in children - what to ask your doctor

What to ask your doctor about concussion - child; Mild brain injury - what to ask your doctor - child

Your child has a mild brain injury (concussion). This may affect how your child's brain works for some time. Your child may have lost consciousness for a while. Your child also may have a bad headache.

Below are some questions you may want to ask your health care provider to help you take care of your child's concussion.

Questions

What type of symptoms or problems will my child have?

• Will my child have problems thinking or remembering?
• How long will these problems last?
• Will all the symptoms and problems go away?

Does someone need to stay with my child?

• How long does someone need to stay?
• Is it OK for my child to go to sleep?
• Does my child need to be awakened while sleeping?

What type of activity can my child do?

• Does my child need to stay in bed or lie down?
• Can my child play around the house?
• When can my child begin to exercise?
• When can my child do contact sports, such as football and soccer?
• When can my child go skiing or snowboarding?
• Does my child need to wear a helmet?

How can I prevent head injuries in the future?

• Does my child have the right kind of car seat?
• In what sports should my child always wear a helmet?
• Are there sports my child should never play?
• What can I do to make my home safer?

When can my child go back to school?

• Are my child's teachers the only school people I should tell about my child's concussion?
• Can my child stay for a full day?
• Will my child need to rest during the day?
• Can my child take part in recess and gym class?
• How will the concussion affect my child's schoolwork?

Does my child need a special memory test?

What medicines can my child use for any pain or headache? Are ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), or other similar medicines OK?

Is it OK for my child to eat? Will my child have an upset stomach?

Do I need a follow-up appointment?

When should I call the doctor?

Related Information

Unconsciousness - first aid
Head injury - first aid
Concussion
Confusion
Concussion in children - discharge
Preventing head injuries in children
Brain injury - discharge

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Brain injury basics. www.cdc.gov/headsup/basics/index.html. Updated March 5, 2019. Accessed January 13, 2023.

Giza CC, Kutcher JS, Ashwal S, et al. Summary of evidence-based guideline update: evaluation and management of concussion in sports: report of the Guideline Development Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2013;80(24):2250-2257. PMID: 23508730 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23508730/.

Liebig CW, Congeni JA. Sports related traumatic brain injury (concussion). In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 708.

Trofa DP, Caldwell JME, Joshua Li X. Concussion and brain injury. In: Miller MD, Thompson SR, eds. DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: Principles and Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 126.

BACK TO TOP

Review Date: 10/22/2022  

Reviewed By: Charles I. Schwartz, MD, FAAP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, General Pediatrician at PennCare for Kids, Phoenixville, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

Health Content Provider 06/01/2025

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. This site complied with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information from 1995 to 2022, after which HON (Health On the Net, a not-for-profit organization that promoted transparent and reliable health information online) was discontinued.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2024 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.