Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital is proud of the success of its multidisciplinary concussion clinic where children, adolescents and young adults with sports-related head injuries undergo evaluation and treatment. This clinic, under the direction of Matthew Fazekas, MD, FAAP, CAQSM, medical director of pediatric sports medicine, has proudly expedited comprehensive care and treatment of patients with suspected and diagnosed concussions.
Concussion, a subset of traumatic brain injury (TBI), is defined as a transient complex pathophysiological process, induced by traumatic biomechanical forces upon the brain. Concussion may be caused either by a direct blow to the head, face, or neck or by an indirect blow elsewhere on the body with an impulsive rotational force transmitted to the brain. This impact results in the rapid onset of impaired neurologic function that resolves spontaneously. The resolution of the clinical and cognitive symptoms typically follows a sequential course.
The care of athletes with sports-related concussions is ideally performed by healthcare professionals with specific training and experience in the assessment and management of concussions. The sports medicine physicians at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital are frequently involved in the care of patients with concussion and are specifically trained to provide care along the continuum of concussion from management of the acute injury to return-to-play decisions.
From an athlete’s perspective, a concussion can result in a devastating interruption of their performance timeline. However, as more is learned, it is also clear the patient may suffer long term neurologic dysfunction. Patients typically are affected in somatic and cognitive areas, but they can also be affected in emotional, vestibular and sleep domains. Currently, barriers exist when trying to access timely care targeting these specific domains. This can prolong overall concussion symptoms and ultimately delay the athlete’s goal of return to sports.
Given the high incidence and the complexity surrounding issues connected to the injury, we developed this comprehensive clinic for concussion care within Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. The mission is dual-pronged: to provide evidenced-based acute care management and to provide comprehensive care for the patient with prolonged recovery and symptoms. Our goals are to allow the patient to return to normal activities of daily life, including classroom learning and recreational and/or competitive athletics, and to mitigate long term symptoms and dysfunction.
The Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Concussion Clinic was developed as a multi-disciplinary clinic for pediatric patients with TBI that streamlines access to care to subspecialties including neurology, neuropsychology, and vestibular therapy in addition to sports medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation.
For more information about the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Concussion Clinic or to make an appointment, please call 954-538-5566 or visit us at JDCH.com/concussion.
