We support clients with expert concussion services in the community from our ABI community clinic sites in Whangarei, Auckland (North West, Epsom & Botany), Masterton and Wellington (Tawa). We can also see you at home, work or place of study, or via telehealth or other places that may suit both you and the clinician. We have an experienced and skilled team of clinicians supporting you to get back to everyday activities at home, work, study or sport.
What is concussion and what concussion service do we offer?
A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells.
Concussions do not show up on medical imaging like scans or x-rays.
Concussion is a functional injury, which means the area of the brain affected does not manage the flow of information as it should and this can mean it is difficult to manage usual day-to-day tasks.
ABI Concussion Service specialises in assessment and rehabilitation following Concussion. You will be referred by your GP, the hospital, A&M you attended or ACC. We will give you a call to see how you are recovering and you may need to be booked in for an assessment.
What will happen at my initial appointment?
You will be assessed by one of our team. This may happen at home or at one of ABI’s clinics. The clinician will talk with you about what your life was like before the injury, what is important to you, the accident and any difficulties or changes you are now experiencing. They will provide you with some education about concussion and some tips and strategies to manage some of the difficulties you may be experiencing.
Why do I need an assessment?
The purpose of this assessment is to determine the impact of your injury on you, and to identify any factors that may interfere with your ability to return to work, study, and any other activities you normally do. The assessment will be the basis of your rehabilitation plan.
What happens after my assessment?
The clinician will discuss with you a plan and recommendations. A report is written for ACC about the recommendations going forward, this may be discharging you as you have made a great recovery and self-manage, or booking you in for further rehabilitation sessions or assessments. If you need ongoing sessions, these may take place at school, work, home, outside in fresh air, in the ABI clinic or via telehealth.
Referrals
ABI can receive direct referrals (without ACC approval) from GP’s, Accident and Medical (A&M’s) and hospitals as well as ACC for clients of all ages – we do have a specialist paediatric team. Please click here to refer to us if your patient lives in Northland, Auckland, Manawatu, Wellington or Wairarapa and needs to be seen by our Concussion Service.
If you’d like to make a referral to our concussion service click here
Do I need to bring anything for my first appointment?
It’s important to bring any written documentation about your injury that you have to this initial meeting e.g. discharge letter from hospital, and x-ray reports if you have them along with eye glasses, hearing aids etc. if required. We can arrange for an interpreter – please let us know in advance if you require this support. You are welcome to bring any family/whānau or your partner with you.
Our team
The ABI Concussion Services team includes the following clinicians:
- Occupational Therapists
- Neuro-physiotherapists
- Rehabilitation Medicine Physicians
- Paediatrician/Paediatric Rehabilitation Medicine Physician
- Neuropsychologists
- Psychologists
- Speech and Language Therapists
- Other rehabilitation clinicians who may be required to support you.
For children and young adults, we have a dedicated specialist paediatric concussion service made up of the same rehabilitation disciplines as above, with clinicians who specialise in working with children who have brain injuries.