One of the developments I have seen in my practice over the last year is an increase in cognitive assessments being requested for athletes who sustain a concussion (brain injury). This type of testing assesses any changes in the athlete's mental processes that may have been caused by a head injury. The athletes' medical doctor uses this assessment to manage the athlete's care and make return-to-play decisions.
More doctors are also starting to recommend that athletes receive a "baseline" cognitive assessment before a season begins. So, if the athlete sustains a concussion during the season, another assessment can be conducted (post-concussion) and compared to the baseline results (pre-concussion) to better determine any changes. The pre- and post-concussion assessments are one of many factors doctors use to manage treatment and return-to-play decisions.
Throughout the country, universities and school districts are starting to require pre- and post-concussion assessments for athletes. The following is an article about how the Passaic Valley High School created a new concussion testing policy. The goal of the policy is to help decrease brain injuries and also enable medical professionals, athletes, and coaches to better manage care and recovery.
