Each year, more than 450,000 kids show up in the emergency room to be evaluated and treated for head injuries. Now, no parent relishes the idea of taking their child to the hospital with a concussion. But growing concern about the long-term effects of head injuries have made that already stressful situation even more fraught. And the best course of action isn’t always clear.
One idea is to bring parents even deeper into the decision-making process with a technique known as shared decision-making. A new study finds that it doesn’t change how kids are treated as much as you might expect.
Erik Hess is Professor and Vice Chair for Research at the University of Alabama Birmingham Medical School, and lead author of that study.
