Children's Hospital Colorado
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About the pediatric Concussion Program

Concussions can be scary for kids and families, but we have the experience and compassion to help children and teens feel like themselves again. Pediatric experts in our Concussion Program specialize in evaluating and treating children, adolescents and young athletes who may have experienced a concussion or other type of mild traumatic brain injury. Our program brings together experts from many medical specialties to provide your child the concussion care they need. This includes pediatric experts from sports medicine, rehabilitation, neuropsychology, rehabilitation psychology and physical therapy.

We also work closely with  certified athletic trainers in many local schools and sports clubs to provide direct care for young athletes, including on-field medical evaluations.

Who we treat at the Concussion Program

We focus on evaluating and treating young children and teens through high school age who have a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury. Our experts are leaders in concussion research, using the knowledge we’ve gained in the lab to help the children we care for.

Our Pediatric Rehabilitation Department specializes in helping children with complex concussions or more serious complications from a concussion or traumatic brain injury.

Why choose us for concussion care?

We offer a streamlined, yet complete approach to concussion care. We customize every treatment plan to meet each individual child’s needs. Our individualized concussion care can include:

Expert guidance on when a child should return to school, physical activities and sports

  • Evaluation and treatment for common post-concussion problems such as headaches and dizziness
  • Neuropsychological care to assess processing speed, attention and memory
  • Short-term psychological treatment to address mental health factors that can interfere with recovery
  • Physical therapy and rehabilitation care for symptoms such as neck pain, dizziness, visual difficulties and balance problems
  • Sport-specific exercises designed to target specific concussion issues
  • Advanced neuroimaging to rule out medical emergencies after an injury or identify other brain injuries
  • Coordination with school personnel to support educational needs
  • Referrals to pediatric specialists in neurology, neurosurgery and related medical disciplines, as needed

Concussion research

Specialists within our Concussion Program also take part in numerous research projects focused on concussions and brain injury, which helps us bring the latest care advancements to our patients faster. Our research focuses on many topics, including:

  • Social and physiological effects
  • Movement and function effects
  • Predictors of recovery and future injury risk
  • Role of physical activity during recovery
  • How to create a healthy environment for brain recovery
  • Mental health difficulties
  • Sleep during recovery

We work with researchers and share our research across the globe so all kids, including those in our care, can get the best concussion treatment.

Additionally, through a variety of programs such as Safe Kids, Children’s Colorado and the Concussion Program work to educate communities around the state about how to prevent accidental injuries in children.

Contact the Concussion Program

Some insurance companies require a referral from a primary care provider before scheduling appointments. Once a referral is in place, most insurance companies will cover specialty care visits for patients with concussions. Learn more about the insurance plans accepted at Children’s Colorado.

If necessary, our Concussion Program Coordinator and Complex Concussion Nurse can consult with parents or referring providers before we see a patient in our program.

For appointments or to get more information about our Concussion Program call: 720-777-2806.

Compassionate care, wherever you are

We’re here when you need us. Telehealth appointments are available across every specialty, so you can get the high-quality care we’ve always offered from the comfort, privacy and convenience of home.

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Get to know our pediatric experts.

Julie Wilson, MD

Julie Wilson, MD

Pediatrics, Sports Medicine

Stephanie Hitti, PhD

Stephanie Hitti, PhD

Neuropsychology

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Elizabeth Sweeney, MD

Elizabeth Sweeney, MD

Pediatrics

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Tess Simpson, PhD

Tess Simpson, PhD

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