NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) -
Vanderbilt is now offering a test that is able to show if sports injuries are affecting your child's brain.
ImPACT, which stands for Immediate Post Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing, is a computerized test of the brain. Vanderbilt is the only sports clinic in the state that can perform this test.
Right before your child's sports season begins, they would go in for baseline testing. The doctors will test for balance and neurological history, among other items.
Then, one your child's sports season is in full swing, if they get injured out on the field, the doctors can check how that injury has affected their brain. They compare what your child's brain is like normally to how it's working after the injury. Some of the tests include reaction time, memory and attention span.
The out-of-pocket cost for the ImPACT test is $50.
A study was done a couple years ago, and researchers found that high school girls were actually more likely to get concussions, especially those who play soccer.
Vanderbilt says this test allows athletes to return to playing sooner once they know which recovery steps they need to take.
The testing is offered at three different clinics: the Vanderbilt Orthopedic Institute at the Nashville campus, the Vanderbilt Bone and Joint Clinic in Franklin and Vanderbilt Orthopedics in Mt. Juliet.
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