Concussion clinic to open
High school athletes and other people vulnerable to concussions will have better access to care after a new clinic opens this week in Phoenix.
Waiting room of the Banner Concussion Center.(Photo courtesy of Banner Concussion Center)The Banner Concussion Center will officially see patients Tuesday. Dr. Steven Erikson, the medical director, said people suffering from concussion symptoms can receive treatment from physical and occupational therapists. Those who are at risk of concussion – but not yet injured – will also be seen.
For
example, a high school athlete can undergo a battery of cognitive tests at the
start of the season. If that athlete then suffers a blow to the
head at some point in the season, "well now they come back and they do
that same battery of objective testing, and we are able to compare them to
them," Erickson said.
He added this comparison makes it easier for parents and doctors to know when the child is back to baseline brain functioning. The Arizona legislature has put educational requirements in place to curb high school concussions, and so-called baseline testing has become more common with providers like Banner and the Mayo Clinic.
