Concussion: what CDC says about recovery, school, and rehabilitation
CDC’s HEADS UP pages say most children can return to school within a day or two of a concussion and feel better within two to four weeks, and that a provider may refer a child with longer-lasting symptoms to a brain injury specialist. CDC’s Pediatric mTBI Guideline handout recommends an active rehabilitation program of gradual aerobic activity and says a provider may refer a child with ongoing dizziness to vestibular rehabilitation. This page quotes CDC.
Quoted from official pages checked November 12, 2026. Confirm current requirements, fees, and dates on those sites. This page is not legal advice and does not guarantee eligibility, certification, or licensure.
Sources read on November 12, 2026: CDC’s What to do After a Concussion page (dated Sept. 15, 2025), its handout CDC Pediatric mTBI Guideline: Management and Treatment Recommendations (PDF; no date in its text), and its School Letter: Returning to School After a Concussion (PDF).
After a concussion
CDC states: “A child with a possible concussion needs to be seen by a health care provider.” In the first days, it advises light activity: “Have your child do light physical activity, like going for walks, even if they experience some mild symptoms.”
Back to school
CDC states: “Most children can return to school within 1 to 2 days of a concussion.” And: “Research has found delaying return to school may lead to a longer recovery.” It adds: “At first, your child may need rest breaks, homework help, and extra time for tests.”
CDC’s school letter for providers to fill in says: “This letter is not intended to create a 504 Plan or an IEP unless school professionals determine that one is needed.” And: “Most students will only need short-term support as they recover from a concussion.” The guideline handout states: “For any student with prolonged symptoms that interfere with academic performance, school-based teams should assess the educational needs of that student and determine the student’s need for additional educational supports, including those described under pertinent federal statutes.” Those plans are on Section 504 and IEPs and IFSPs.
How long recovery takes, in CDC’s words
The three CDC sources word this differently, and they are shown side by side. The HEADS UP page: “Most children with a concussion feel better within 2 to 4 weeks.” The school letter: “Most children with a concussion feel better within a couple of weeks. However, for some, symptoms can last for a month or longer.” Paraphrased from CDC’s pediatric mTBI guideline handout (not a direct quote): it says 70 to 80 percent of children with mTBI show functional recovery by 1 to 3 months.
The HEADS UP page adds: “If your child has concussion symptoms that last longer than 2 to 4 weeks, their health care provider may refer them to a specialist with experience in treating brain injuries.”
Where rehabilitation is named
The guideline handout states: “Following the successful resumption of a gradually increased schedule of activity, healthcare providers should offer an active rehabilitation program of progressive reintroduction of noncontact aerobic activity that does not exacerbate symptoms, with close monitoring of symptom expression (number, severity).”
On dizziness: “Dizziness is another potentially debilitating symptom of mTBI, and limited evidence suggests that early vestibular physical therapy may benefit patients experiencing dizziness.” And: “Healthcare providers may refer children with subjective or objective evidence of persistent vestibulo-ocular motor dysfunction following mTBI to a program of vestibular rehabilitation.”
On thinking and memory problems: “Healthcare providers may refer children with persisting complaints related to cognitive function for a formal neuropsychological evaluation to help determine etiology, and to recommend targeted treatment.”
Of the three CDC sources read for this page, only the guideline handout names a therapy profession, in the phrase “early vestibular physical therapy”. The sources read do not name occupational therapists or speech-language pathologists.
What this page does not do
It covers children as CDC’s pages do, does not tell anyone when to return to sports or school, and does not replace CDC’s full guideline. It is not legal, medical, billing, or immigration advice. Confirm current rules with the agency or organization that publishes them, your employer, and your state board.