A concussion is an injury to the brain. Kids don’t have to be knocked out to have a concussion. A fall, a hit to the head or anything that shakes the brain inside the skull can cause this hidden injury. Concussions can be mild or serious. At Nemours, we have the skill and technology to diagnose different levels of concussion — and our experts know the right way to help your child’s brain heal. 

Learn More About Concussions

Children and teens with concussions need medical attention, lots of rest and a slow, careful return to daily routines under a doctor’s care. Our pediatric concussion experts work as a team to diagnose concussions and to create customized care across many different specialties. We offer a complete range of concussion evaluation and treatment services, including:

• baseline testing before kids and teens get concussions, allowing us to capture normal brain function, memory, vision and balance-related data to assess any changes after a concussion
• medical care to help each child slowly ease back into activities in a way that avoids setbacks or permanent problems
• neurology and neurosurgery to find and correct the cause of headaches and other problems, when needed 
• vestibular (balance) assessment to see if dizziness may be due to a problem in the inner ear
• vision assessment to find out if a concussion affected a child’s eyesight
• neuropsychological screening to look at behavior, emotions, thinking and brain function after the injury
• cognitive remediation and therapies — skill-building programs designed to restore a child’s ability to pay attention, remember things, and return to normal cognitive activities like reading
• physical, speech and occupational therapy and rehabilitation care to help children regain functions that may be affected by a concussion 
• return-to-play guidance and management, including advice from sports medicine experts to help kids gradually get back to normal activities in a way that protects brain function
• in-hospital school program to help kids transition back to school

Concussion treatment and support services may vary depending on the location.

Nemours pediatric concussion experts have years of experience in diagnosing and treating concussions in children and teens. We know what to look for and how to help kids recover. Most kids and teens who follow our guidelines heal within a week or two without lasting health problems. When children need more complex care with longer healing times, we create a specialized team to meet each child’s needs.

In addition to offering a full range of services, therapies and advanced technology, we stay on the leading edge of concussion research. We’re actively involved in studies and clinical trials to look for better ways to diagnose and treat conditions like concussions. And, year after year, many of our physicians are recognized as “Best Doctors in America®" .

Regional Highlights of Our Concussion Care

Services, programs and care teams differ at each location. Call for details.

Sometimes the best support and peace of mind comes from families who’ve been there. Meet some of the inspiring kids we’ve been honored to treat.

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