“Return to Learn” Following Concussion
Returning to school following a concussion can feel daunting. Though significant research has been done on the “Return to Play” protocols assisting student-athletes with safely rejoining practices and game play, the research on safely and effectively returning to school is less well established. Additionally, there is a lot of conflicting and outdated information available online about how to best ensure students return to the classroom.
Rest and Relax
For the first 24-48 hours, focus on providing rest time and relaxing activities. Get a good night’s sleep and take naps as needed. Older recommendations were to completely isolate and avoid all activities - but this can prolong symptoms! Instead, complete daily activities to the extent that they do not exacerbate symptoms.
Resume Activities as Tolerated
Return to school with a plan to assist with recovery. Every child’s recovery from a concussion is unique and your child may need different supports depending on their symptoms. They may need to gradually increase their time at school or may need accommodations to assist their academic success during this period. If you need help determining what supports your child may need, a speech-language pathologist or neuropsychologist with training in brain injury rehabilitation can assess cognitive symptoms and recommend appropriate supports.
Return to Regular School and Activities
As symptoms improve, supports and accommodations can be faded. Having appropriate supports in place from the start can help to manage symptoms and reduce the amount of school that is missed, resulting in a better and less stressful recovery. More than 90% of students should be able to resume a regular school schedule with no ongoing supports by 10 days post-injury.
You may need additional help from a Brain Injury Specialist if:
Your child’s symptoms worsen
Your child’s symptoms do not recover in 2-4 weeks
Your child has a history of multiple concussions
Your child has a history of migraines, depression, mood disorder, anxiety, learning disorder, or ADHD as these are risk factors for prolonged recovery
About the Author
Brynn Schor, MS, CCC-SLP, CBIS (founder of Peninsula Specialty Speech Therapy, based in Menlo Park, California) specializes in assessment and treatment of cognitive communication deficits and executive function coaching for pediatric patients in the Bay Area and across California. Consultations provided worldwide.
