Compiled by Laurel Hamers, based on original reporting by Leila Okahata
Concussions are in the news and daily conversation after millions watched with concern as University of Oregon quarterback Dante Moore was struck in the head and carried off the field by medical staff in the Sept. 26 game against USC.
Unfortunately, concussions are surprisingly common, affecting as many as 1 in 3 kids and young adults, and can occur even after a seemingly mild bump to the head.
The UO-led Center on Brain Injury Research and Training has built an Oregon-wide network of school brain injury management teams that coordinate between medical providers, families, students and schools to smooth kids’ transition back. They also helped pass Oregon House Bill 3007 in May 2025, mandating that kids returning to school after a concussion have an accommodation plan that’s tied to their symptoms.
Last fall, OregonNews interviewed center project manager Melaney Grenz for UO’s “This is Oregon” podcast. Read on for tips on supporting someone post-concussion, pulled from our previous conversation with Grenz. While the center’s work focuses on K-12 students, much of her advice applies to people of any age.
1. Don’t downplay it. All brain injuries should be taken seriously.
“When a person returns to school or work after brain injury, they probably will look mostly the same,” Grenz said. “It’s often referred to as an invisible injury. But people might face issues with memory and learning, attention and organizational skills. There can be mental health effects: depression, anxiety, blunted emotions or impulsivity.”
People face physical challenges, too: balance and coordination can be off, and people might have headaches and vision fatigue. Symptoms and their severity can vary throughout recovery.
Someone struggling with motivation or focus after a concussion “isn’t doing this on purpose,” Grenz said. “So let’s give them a lot of grace.”
2. Be patient. Recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Rest is key after a concussion, and pushing too hard too soon can prolong recovery. But “we also don’t want students to cocoon,” Grenz said. “Sitting isolated in a dark room for weeks is no longer the recommended approach. The real key to recovery is gradual, guided return to play and return to school, introduced as soon as it’s safe to do so.”
That timing can vary quite a bit depending on the person and the severity of the injury.
“Most of our students that sustained a concussion see symptoms abate after four to six weeks. Then, for about 15% of our students, those symptoms will linger well beyond that period. These students might need a more robust safety net, like a 504 plan or Individualized Education Plan,” which provide more specialized long-term support, Grenz said.
Common myths that downplay concussions can push people back to normal activity too soon, Grenz notes. For instance, you don’t need to lose consciousness to have a brain injury, and even a minor bump on the head can have lasting effects.
3. Reach out for support.
“Brain injuries are invisible and they have a ripple effect,” Grenz said. “So when kids come back to school, there can just be a maze of new and unexpected challenges, things that might trigger them, like lights or sounds in the hallways. We have a long list of accommodations on our website that schools and parents can take back to their teams and say, ‘Let’s try this.’”
Those accommodations might include testing in a quiet room, getting lecture notes from the teacher ahead of time and having extended time to complete assignments. Decreasing screen time and taking breaks throughout the school day can help, too.
Since recovery isn’t linear, those accommodations might need to change over time.
The same principle applies to adults returning to work after a concussion, Grenz said. Someone might start with a partial workday, gradually increasing hours over time, with specific accommodations such as light physical duty or reduced screen time.
Community support matters, too. “We do know that social support of the family is the best predictor of function and quality of life after brain injury,” Grenz said. “I’ve said it so often — that a brain injury adversely affects the entire family unit. It’s so imperative to wrap around all family members and help them access community and state resources.”
Want to learn more?
- Listen to the full conversation with Grenz on “This is Oregon,” a UO podcast
- Check out CBIRT’s resources for educators
- Explore Oregon resources for people living with brain injury