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In this episode, Dr. Marshall reviews the CDC Concussion Guidelines, and offers insights about how to apply them to concussion management and patient care.
The recommendations are based on a systematic review of concussion literature from 2012 to 2015, and includes 19 sets of recommendations for the diagnosis, prognosis and management of paediatric concussions – or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).
The purpose of the document is to help improve the clinical guidance for licensed healthcare professionals, and ultimately, provide better concussion care.
Key highlights include:[1]
Healthcare professionals should not obtain x-ray, MRI or CT scans for diagnosing concussions. These are not required to diagnose a concussion; however, may sometimes be used if a healthcare professional suspects a skull fracture or brain bleed.
Blood and saliva tests have not been proven to work for diagnosing concussions. These should not be used outside of a research or scientific setting.
Most concussion symptoms in children resolve within one to three months; however, recovery time may vary for a number of reasons such as a history of concussion injuries.
Children and teenagers with learning difficulties or mental illness (such as anxiety or depression) may require more time to fully recover.
Healthcare professionals should use a variety of concussion tools and assessments that are based on age and have validated symptom rating scales.
Rest is no longer considered the best approach to concussion care. Following a short period of rest (up to three days – according to the CDC concussion guidelines), gradual, guided and active treatment and rehabilitation should start under the guidance of a healthcare professional. It’s important to ensure that activity and rehabilitation stays below symptom threshold – or to the point until symptoms do not flare-up.
For more information about the CDC concussion guidelines, check out the full JAMA publication, or listen or watch Dr. Marshall’s summary below. Enjoy!
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