Youth Concussion Care in Los Angeles: Clear Answers for Worried Parents

If your child took a hit at a soccer game in the Valley, a fall at a skate park in Santa Monica, or a collision during school PE, and now something seems off, a headache that won't quit, trouble focusing in class, dizziness, or sleeping far more or less than usual, you are right to pay attention. A concussion is a brain injury, and the signs look different depending on age. A 4-year-old may not have the words to say "my head hurts" and instead becomes clingy, irritable, or loses interest in play. A 14-year-old may downplay symptoms to get back on the field, while parents notice slipping grades, light sensitivity, or a shorter fuse. Families across Greater Los Angeles, from Pasadena to Long Beach, from the Westside to the Inland communities we already serve, bring us these exact worries every week, often after a school nurse or coach has flagged a possible head impact.

Here is the honest calibration: most concussions in children and teens heal well with proper rest and a gradual, supervised return to school and sports. But some don't, and it's genuinely hard to tell early on which path your child is on. Warning signs that need urgent same-day care include repeated vomiting, worsening headache, confusion, slurred speech, unequal pupils, or any loss of consciousness that concerns you. Symptoms that linger past two to four weeks, persistent headaches, mood changes, trouble concentrating, deserve more than a wait-and-see approach. That gray zone is exactly where parents in Los Angeles get stuck: the emergency room says "probably fine," the internet says everything from "totally normal" to "permanent damage," and nobody tells you what to watch for at your child's specific age.

Your next step is straightforward. Keep your child out of sports and rough play until cleared, limit but don't eliminate screen time, and keep a simple daily note of symptoms. If symptoms persist, are getting worse, or you simply want a clear expert read on what you're seeing, that's when a neurologist evaluation makes sense, especially one who understands both the developing brain and the developing child. Dr. Shawn Sedgh, MD completed three years of residency in pediatrics and three years in neurology, and evaluates children from birth through age 18. When you request a visit, it goes directly to Dr. Sedgh, and he'll walk you through what your child's symptoms mean at their age, in plain language, so you leave knowing what is happening and what to do next.