School and Persistent Symptoms
Key Points:
- Only a small percentage of students may go on to have symptoms that persist following their concussions.
- Students with persisting symptoms may be able to receive support in school for a longer period of time.
- Tutoring is helpful for filling in “knowledge gaps” after concussion.
- Be sure to also include time to exercise. Staying active and getting your heart rate up can help heal your brain.
Persisting Symptoms and School
The majority of students with concussion will recover, and will not require long term accommodations in school.
A small group of students (about 2%) may have symptoms lasting longer than one year and may need formal and longer-term accommodations in school.
Common Chronic Issues
The following chronic issues are reported by some adolescents after concussion:
- Chronic headaches
- Persistent thinking problems with memory and/or attention
- Diagnosed mental health issues such as anxiety and/or depression
Sometimes, these symptoms persist and impact school participation even after the concussion injury is healed.
Talk to your school team if you feel you need long term support due to chronic issues.
Your school team may need a medical note and/or an assessment, to put this type of support in place.
Long Term Academic Effects Following Concussion
As long as there is not a prolonged absence from school, most people do not experience long-term academic effects following concussion. Remember, lengthy absences from school are not recommended following concussion. It is better to put appropriate supports in place so that a student with concussion can return to school successfully, than to delay return to school beyond one week.
Some students report persisting difficulties with academics after concussion.
Certain academic subjects may be more challenging after concussion, including:
- Math
- Reading/Language Arts
- Science
In these courses, you have to master one concept before you can take on the next one.
If you have a hard time keeping up with learning after your concussion, you might miss some of these concepts - causing a “knowledge gap”. It can feel tough to catch up and sometimes it feels like you’re falling further behind.
The good news is that this doesn’t mean your concussion isn’t healed. But it might mean that you need a little extra support, such as tutoring, to fill in the gaps and help you get back on track.
Talk to your parents and school team about how you can access extra support or tutoring for these courses.