 Cambridge Medical CenterImPACT Concussion Management Program
ConcussionA concussion is a brain injury that may result in a bad headache. altered levels of alertness, or unconsciousness. Learn more about concussions in our health encyclopedia.
Head injuryA head injury is any trauma that leads to injury of the scalp, skull, or brain. The injuries can range from a minor bump on the skull to serious brain injury. Learn more about head injury in our health encyclopedia. 
NEW! Baseline screening now available to ALL youth, ages 11 through college, for a small fee. Cambridge Medical Center is proud to bring ImPACT™ (Immediate Postconcussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) to young people in the area. Baseline concussion screening is available to all youth, ages 11 through college-age for a nominal fee. For students in selected team sports at Cambridge-Isanti and Braham high schools, baseline testing is offered at no cost thanks to the generous support of the Cambridge Medical Center Foundation. A new way to evaluate concussionsNon-Surgical Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at Cambridge Medical Center is the first clinic in northeastern Minnesota to use ImPACT™ (Immediate Postconcussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) to diagnose, treat, and educate student athletes and their families about concussions. ImPACT™ is a computer program that measures aspects of brain function sensitive to concussion. ImPACT™ tests the brain function of student athletes before they participate in sports for a baseline score. It measures brain function in areas such as: attention span, working memory, sustained and selective attention time, non-verbal problem solving, and reaction time. If a head injury occurs, the same measurements are repeated. The before-and-after comparison assesses the degree of brain impairment and helps determine when it has healed. This helps doctors, coaches, parents and trainers decide when it is safe for a student athlete to return to play. Concussions in young athletesThe most common brain injury in contact sports is concussion. Young athletes are more vulnerable to brain injuries than older professionals. Children's brains are not fully developed and take longer to heal. Having many concussions may increase the risk of chronic headaches, cognitive and memory impairment, permanent dizziness and personality changes. The brain needs time to rest and recover from a concussion. If a second concussion occurs before a first one is fully healed, a condition called second impact syndrome may cause brain swelling and could be fatal. Your help is neededCambridge Medical Center Foundation has led the effort to raise funds to bring ImPACT™ (Immediate Postconcussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) to Cambridge-Isanti and Braham high schools. Donations are needed to help cover the cost of baseline screenings for high school athletes. Source: ImPACT™ Applications, Inc. Reviewed by: R Michael Patten, MD, Cambridge Medical Center First Published: 02/28/2009 Last Reviewed: 02/28/2011 Dealing with concussions in youth athletesHow would you know if your child got a concussion during a sporting event? Budd Renier, MD, a team doctor for several high school sports teams, explains what to watch for. Encouraging signs after concussion should be temperedBudd Renier, MD, says there are no shortcuts for athletes like the Twins' First Baseman Justin Morneau when it comes to coming back after a concussion. He discusses the importance of preventing repeat concussions and how the ImPACT™ test is used to determine when athletes should return to their sport.
ConcussionA concussion is a brain injury that may result in a bad headache. altered levels of alertness, or unconsciousness. Learn more about concussions in our health encyclopedia. |
