McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences Newsmagazine — Volume 5, Issue 2, Fall 2011
Associate professor Carol DeMatteo (left) and occupational therapy student Mandy Rubinoff (right) assess John Douglas, 16, four months after he received a concussion on the soccer field.
Associate professor Carol DeMatteo (left) and occupational therapy student Mandy Rubinoff (right) assess John Douglas, 16, four months after he received a concussion on the soccer field.

Walk the walk for concussions

Do we take concussions seriously enough? Not according to a study by Carol DeMatteo, an associate professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science. The occupational therapist and investigator with the CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability found children who receive the label "concussion" spend fewer days in hospital, and return to school sooner than children with head injuries not diagnosed as concussion.

"We believe that just receiving the concussion diagnosis is not enough because families don’t always understand what concussion means," she said. "The concussion diagnosis has to go along with a lot of education about what they should do and what they shouldn’t do after it."

DeMatteo’s study, published in the journal Pediatrics, was reported by major media across the country, and started a national dialogue on the issue. Her research recommended using the term "mild traumatic brain injury" instead of "concussion" to more accurately reflect the nature of the diagnosis.

"We may not be able to prevent the first concussion, but we should be able to prevent the next one and that’s by not allowing people or their children to go back to sport or school if they’re not ready."

[The Newsmakers]