This is a common question asked by many parents. Healthcare providers use multiple tools and techniques to check for a concussion. There is no one perfect diagnostic tool. Clinicians rely on objective tools as well as clinical expertise and symptom reporting to help determine whether a patient has a concussion.
They may use any of the following tools to help make a concussion diagnosis:
- Clinical examination
- Neurocognitive testing (memory, reaction time, etc.)
- Balance testing
- Vestibular ocular testing
- Symptom inventories
It’s a common myth that you shouldn’t sleep after a concussion. In fact, sleep can help your brain get the rest it needs after a concussion, especially in the first 24 hours. As long as you don’t present danger signs, you can sleep.
Danger signs can include dilated pupils, slurred speech, worsening headaches, confusion, or loss of consciousness. If they do show some of these signs, you may want to go to the emergency department for a physical examination.