Adult
You had a concussion. This is a mild brain injury and it can affect how your brain works for a while. Below are some questions you may want to ask your health care provider to help you take care of your concussion.
Questions
What types of symptoms or problems might I have?
- Will I have problems thinking or remembering?
- Will I have a headache?
- How long will the symptoms last?
- Will all the symptoms and problems go away?
Do I need supervision or emergency medical evaluation?
- What types of red flags would warrant emergency medical evaluation after a head injury?
- Is it OK for me to go to sleep?
- If I go to sleep, does someone need to wake me up and check on me?
What type of activity can I do?
- Do I need to stay in bed or lie down?
- Can I do housework? How about yard work?
- When can I begin to exercise? When can I start contact sports, such as football or soccer? When can I begin skiing or snowboarding?
- Can I drive a car or operate other machinery?
- How should I approach returning to activities?
When can I go back to work?
- What should I tell my boss about my concussion?
- Do I need to take special memory tests to determine if I am fit for work?
- Can I work a full day?
- Will I need to take breaks during the day?
What medicines can I use for pain or headache? Can I use aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), or other similar medicines?
Is it OK to eat? Will I feel sick to my stomach?
When can I drink alcohol?
What to Ask Your Doctor about Concussions - Child
Your child has a mild brain injury (concussion). This may affect how your child's brain works for a while.
Below are some questions you may want to ask your health care provider to help you take care of your child's concussion.
Questions
What type of symptoms or problems will my child have?
- Will my child have problems thinking or remembering?
- How long will these problems last?
- Will all the symptoms and problems go away?
Does my child need supervision or emergency medical evaluation?
- What are the red flags that would warrant taking my child for emergency medical evaluation?
- Is it OK for my child to go to sleep?
- Does my child need to be awakened while sleeping?
What type of activity can my child do?
- Does my child need to stay in bed or lie down?
- Can my child play around the house?
- When can my child begin to exercise?
- When can my child do contact sports, such as football and soccer?
- When can my child go skiing or snowboarding?
- Does my child need to wear a helmet?
- How should my child approach returning to activities?
When can my child go back to school?
- What type of assistance or accommodations are necessary to help my child in school.
- Can my child stay for a full day?
- Will my child need to take breaks during the day?
- Can my child take part in recess and gym class?
- How will the concussion affect my child's schoolwork?
Does my child need a special memory test?
What medicines can my child use for any pain or headache? Are ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), or other similar medicines OK?
Is it OK for my child to eat? Will my child have an upset stomach?
Child Concussion Resources:
