A new study shows that students may see a return of their symptoms when they head back to school after having a recent concussion. More than 2.5 million sports related traumatic brain injuries happen every year in the United States. A new study by the Children’s Hospital in Wisconsin finds returning to school after suffering a mild concussion may cause an increase in symptoms, but seeing symptoms return should not be seen as a setback in recovery.
Fink believes the spike in symptoms after a concussion is associated with a sudden increase in mental activity. “Whether it be activity or coming back to school, it is okay to expect some blossom of symptoms. What we don’t want are those symptoms to be higher than they ever were to begin with,” says Fink. He also says what he’s finding with kids, especially, is that if kids are away from their peers and away from their social settings, their recovery actually takes longer because of their depression, anxiety, and other factors in the emotional system.