Use Your Head About Concussion Recovery

Date: October 12, 2011

If your child has had a concussion while playing sports, he or she needs adequate time to recover before returning to the game. How much time, says George Jallo, M.D., a Johns Hopkins pediatric neurosurgeon, depends on the severity of the concussion and whether your child has symptoms, including neck pain, nausea, dizziness, balance problems and sensitivity to light.

“Anyone who has had a concussion should wait at least one week after symptoms have cleared before returning to sports,” he says.

“If your child has symptoms like a headache or trouble concentrating, it’s too soon to even return to school.”

Jallo recommends asking your child’s physician for the all-clear to return to school and sports.

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