OTTAWA, Aug. 28, 2017 /CNW/ - The Canadian Concussion Collaborative (CCC) is releasing a guide to help parents and their children choose a good concussion clinic.
Signs or symptoms of a concussion can include headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, and sensitivity to light or noise. For about 9 in 10 people with concussions, symptoms heal gradually after 7 to 10 days, but those with continuing symptoms may need a personalized care plan.
Finding a good concussion clinic that offers management and treatment can be confusing.
4 Characteristics of a Good Concussion Clinic suggests the questions to ask a clinic to make sure you're receiving high quality care that is supported by current guidelines.
"The guide provides important questions to ask and outlines the best approach to concussion care and management," says Dr. Pierre Frémont, Chair of the CCC and professor at the department of rehabilitation in sports medicine general practice at Université Laval.
The four key characteristics to keep in mind when selecting a concussion clinic are:
- Medical doctor: Clinics should have timely access to physicians with experience in treating concussions who can do the initial assessment, direct care and provide final medical clearance.
- Team of licensed health care professionals: Clinics should have access to licensed professionals from several health care disciplines. They can provide complimentary expertise and work with the medical doctor to design a personalized treatment plan.
- Adhere to the most up-to-date standards of care: Recommended standards of care are updated every few years by groups of experts, and are shared via documents like the international Consensus statement on concussion in sport.
- Tools, tests and recommendations used: Clinics should perform tests recommended in the most current international Consensus statement on concussion in sport to evaluate different components such as symptoms, mental functions and balance. Pre-season baseline testing is not recommended for children and adolescents.
"Good care and treatment is essential to a positive recovery from a concussion. Being able to identify a good concussion clinic that follows best practices provided by licensed health professionals is an important first step," adds Dr. Frémont.
The mission of the CCC is to create synergy between health organizations concerned with concussions in order to improve both the education about concussions, and the implementation of best practices for their prevention and management.
The CCC is composed of members from the following organizations:
Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine
Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
Canadian Athletic Therapists Association
Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
Canadian Chiropractic Association
Canadian Medical Association
Canadian Neurosurgical Society
Canadian Paediatric Society
Canadian Physiotherapy Association
Canadian Psychological Association
College of Family Physicians of Canada
National Emergency Nurses Association
Ontario Medical Association Sport & Exercise Medicine Section
Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation
Parachute
Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences (Canada)
For more information please visit http://casem-acmse.org/education/ccc/
SOURCE Canadian Concussion Collaborative
For interview requests contact: Dawn Haworth, Executive Director/Directrice générale, Canadian Academy of Sport & Exercise Medicine, [email protected], 613 748-5851, extension 1
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