NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital Neurologist Educates Parents on Concussion

Cortlandt Manor, NY – (February 25, 2015) – Dr. Ann Hanley, a neurologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley, will speak to parents at Haldane High School on March 4 about the signs and symptoms of concussion.

Also joining Dr. Hanley will be Maureen Brann, PT, MS of the Center for Rehabilitation at the hospital who has successfully treated patients with traumatic brain injury with vestibular rehabilitation.

Hanley said with the growing amount of evidence that concussions sustained during sports play can have long-term consequences, parents and coaches are seeking more information on this common sports injury.

“Concussions can seriously impair children physically, mentally and emotionally,” said Ann Hanley, M.D. “The sooner concussions are diagnosed, the sooner children can begin healing.”

Some symptoms of a concussion, such as vomiting, losing consciousness after an injury or trouble balancing, can be easy to observe, while others may be harder to spot. Blurred vision, headaches, difficulty concentrating, slurred speech, loss of memory, confusion, feeling “off,” irritability, depression and changes in sleep patterns may all be signs that a child has a concussion.

Early, accurate diagnosis of concussions in children can help prevent further injury and give them the best chance at having a full recovery, said Dr. Hanley.

“If your child is hit on the head or shows signs of having a concussion, take him or her to a specialist for evaluation as soon as possible,” said Dr. Hanley, a member of the Westchester Medical Practice. “A doctor can discover the extent of the injury and help select the best treatment options, whether that’s rest, further testing or surgical intervention for more serious cases.”

Dr. Hanley will delve more into this topic on March 4 at 7 p.m. at Haldane High School, 15 Craigside Drive, Cold Spring, NY 10516. For more information on the program or to learn how to engage a physician as a guest speaker at your school or community organization, For more information, visit www.nyp.org/hudsonvalley or call 914-734-3557.

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NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital

Founded in 1889 by the Helping Hand Association, NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital, located in Cortlandt Manor, New York, serves residents of the Hudson Valley and Westchester County. The 128-bed facility provides a wide range of ambulatory care and inpatient services, with 350 physicians on staff in 43 specialties. The hospital is home to the region’s only state-of-the-art, 24-hour “no wait” emergency department, which sees more than 39,000 visits per year. In 2011, the Cheryl R. Lindenbaum Cancer Center opened, offering the first comprehensive cancer center in the area, combining infusion, radiation therapy and support services all under one roof. NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital has received a string of national awards for patient and employee satisfaction as well as clinical excellence, including the 2014 Guardian of Excellence Award from Press Ganey for scoring higher than 95 percent of hospitals in the country in key quality metrics. For more information, visit www.nyp.org/hudsonvalley or call 914-734-3557.

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