School and the Concussed Youth: Recommendations for Concussion Education and Management

School learning and performance is arguably the critical centerpiece of child and adolescent development, and there can be significant temporary upset in cognitive processing after a mild traumatic brain injury, also called a concussion. This injury results in a cascade of neurochemical abnormalities, and, in the wake of this dysfunction, both physical and cognitive activities become sources of additional neurometabolic demand on the brain and may cause symptoms to reemerge or worsen. This article provides a foundation for postinjury management of cognitive activity, particularly in the school setting, including design and implementation of schoolwide concussion education and management programs.