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It's an alarming number: More than 800,000 kids are seen for concussions in the ER each year. In September, the CDC released new guidelines on how to manage and treat concussions, also called traumatic brain injuries.
The goal: to improve care while helping doctors give parents, coaches and teachers the info they need to support a child’s healing.
The recommendations were developed after reviewing thousands of studies from the past 25 years along with input from organizations such as the American Academy of Neurology. The guidelines offer steps to diagnose and treat concussions, including how to assess brain function and when to see a specialist.
One of the biggest recommendations includes not routinely using imaging such as CT for diagnosis to avoid unnecessary risks associated with radiation exposure. That is, unless there are more severe factors such as loss of consciousness.
The guidelines also give healthcare providers info about sharing instructions with parents regarding when kids can resume both athletic and academic activities.