Heads Up: Brain Injury in Your Practice
Timely recognition and appropriate response is important is important in treating a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) or concussion. Physicians can play a key role in helping to prevent a concussion and to improve a patient's health outcomes through early diagnosis, management, and appropriate referral.
Individuals who sustain a concussion, including those who are not hospitalized or do not receive medical care, may experience long-term problems. Symptoms of a concussion may appear mild, but can lead to significant, life-long impairment affecting an individual's ability to function physically, cognitively, and psychologically.
CDC, in collaboration with an expert work group, has recently updated and revised the "Heads Up: Brain Injury in Your Practice" tool kit. This tool kit contains practical, easy-to-use clinical information and tools, including:
- a booklet with information on diagnosis and management of MTBI;
- a patient assessment tool (Acute Concussion Evaluation or ACE);
- a care plan to help guide a patient's recovery;
- fact sheets in English and Spanish on preventing concussion;
- a palm card for the on-field management of sports-related concussion; and
- a CD-ROM with downloadable kit materials and additional MTBI resources.
Information for Physicians
- Facts for Physicians booklet [PDF 4.58MB]
- Acute Concussion Evaluation (ACE) form [PDF 79KB]
- ACE Care Plan
- Concussion in Sports palm card [PDF 138KB]
Information for Patients
- Heads Up: Preventing Concussion fact sheet
Order these materials at no cost
To order bulk quantities of CDC’s concussion resources free-of-charge and/or to learn how you can get involved to help keep all people safe from concussion, visit www.cdc.gov/Concussion or contact CDC by email (CDC-INFO@cdc.gov) or toll-free at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636).
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC)
4770 Buford Hwy, NE
MS F-63
Atlanta, GA 30341-3717 - 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348
New Hours of Operation:
8am-8pm ET/
Monday-Friday
Closed Holidays - cdcinfo@cdc.gov