Ingalls Making an ImPACT on Concussion
Concussion. It is a hot topic in
the NFL, on playing fields across
the country and right here in the
Southland with heightened concern
about the brain health of players in
contact sports.
“An estimated 10 percent of all athletes who participate in contact sports sustain a concussion during their season,” says James Krcik, M.D., a participating physician with the Ingalls Concussion Program and a member of the Ingalls Medical Staff. Dr. Krcik specializes in pediatric and adolescent sports medicine. “Most parents think of football when there’s talk of concussion, but more and more athletes in other sports such as soccer, ice hockey, wrestling and basketball are experiencing them, too.”
A concussion is a brain injury, caused by a blow to the head or body that causes the brain to “bounce” back and forth in the skull. Even mild force can trigger a cascade of symptoms, including headaches, nausea, dizziness, double vision, confusion and tiredness. Concussions can alter an athlete’s quality of life and prove life-threatening without proper medical management that guides treatment and return-to-play decisions.
In conjunction with the Ingalls Sports Network, the Ingalls Concussion Program has taken a proactive approach to safeguard area athletes who may be prone to concussions by offering a computer-based cognitive test called ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing). This comprehensive assessment tool provides standard measures on brain processing, speed, memory and visual motor skills that help medical experts determine when or if it is safe to return to play. Through its Community Benefits program, Ingalls has reached out to multiple schools and sports organizations in the area to provide them with the first year of the ImPACT concussion management software program.
Area high schools that received the ImPACT program from Ingalls include Andrew, Hillcrest, Homewood- Flossmoor, Marian Catholic, Oak Forest, Richards, Rich Central, Rich East, Rich South, Shepard, Thornridge, Thornton, Thornwood, T.F. North and T.F. South. Ingalls also provided ImPACT to the Tinley Park Bulldogs and Orland Park Pioneers Youth Football organizations.
The goal of the program is to provide a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to sport-related concussions, making sure that athletes are thoroughly evaluated, properly diagnosed and treated, and monitored for safe return to play. Ingalls concussion experts work closely with injured athletes and their families, schools, coaches, school nurses and referring physicians to facilitate a complete recovery.
Understanding Concussion
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released a 20-page article on sport-related concussions in children and adolescents with the following highlights: All pediatric patients who sustain a concussion should be evaluated by a doctor. Athletes should never return to play in the same game after a concussion. To fully recover from concussion, athletes must rest physically and cognitively, which means a break from schoolwork, video games, computer use and watching TV. In most cases, concussion symptoms are resolved in seven to 10 days. If your child sustains a loss of consciousness for greater than 30 seconds, has a severe headache, seizures, repeated vomiting, significant drowsiness, difficulty awakening, slurred speech, significant irritability, neck pain or is confused, they should be seen in a hospital emergency department for further evaluation, including imaging.
Hurt now? Call now! Ingalls Sports Network 708.915.OUCH (6824).
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