At Cooper University Health Care, our multidisciplinary team of experts provides comprehensive, coordinated care for patients with concussion. Our team includes adult and pediatric experts from:
- Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics
- Trauma and Emergency Medicine
- Neurosurgery
- Neurology
- Neuropsychology
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Nursing and Social Work
- Sports Psychology
- Physical Therapy
Accurate Diagnosis
Patients with direct head trauma or suspected concussion undergo a full neurological, cognitive, and physical evaluation. If imaging is needed, Cooper provides access advanced EEG, CT, and MRI technologies for accurate assessment.
Components of Care
Each concussion treatment plan is tailored to each patient’s age, injury severity, and individual needs. Cooper physicians collaborate seamlessly with educators, guidance counselors, school nurses, and administrators to support a child’s transition back to the classroom. For sports-related concussions, our athletic trainers work with patients, families, and schools to guide return-to-play decisions safely.
Return-to-Classroom Guidelines
Our concussion specialists will work with a student’s parent, teachers, and health professionals to create a safe plan to return them to the classroom.
In line with American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations, students do not need to be completely symptom-free before returning to school. Once concussion symptoms have lessened and are tolerable for 30 to 45 minutes, most students can return to school –usually within a few days to the first week post-concussion.
Return-to-Play Guidelines
Cooper sports medicine physicians design a personalized, safe, and progressive return-to-play plan once an athlete:
- Is asymptomatic
- Passes physical and neurological exams
- Returns to baseline ImPACT scores (if available)
We welcome collaboration with school-based athletic trainers and coaches to ensure a safe return to sports. Preventing recurrent head injuries isa key priority, and our team stresses concussion education at every step.