Pediatrics

We offer all types of healthcare for newborns, infants, children, adolescents and teenagers. We also encourage our parents and patients to take an active role in their health.

If you are pregnant, our providers can come to visit your baby in the hospital just after birth to ensure they are meeting appropriate milestones. We are available to manage your newborn's visits and any health concerns you may have.

We also provide a robust residency program to train physicians by offering comprehensive pediatric care to the Wichita community.

The Wesley Children's Hospital Concussion Clinic treats and manages concussions in children throughout the recovery process. Our expert physicians specialize in treatment and management for children and child athletes up to 18 years old. We provide expert diagnosis and care in partnership with a medical team that includes neuropsychology, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology.

For more information about the clinic or to schedule an appointment, please call (316) 962-2301.

A concussion is not just a "bump on the head." A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that occurs when the brain is violently jarred back and forth or rotated inside the skull after a blow to the head or body. This movement can "stun" brain cells or even result in cell death. Many believe a concussion only occurs when a person loses consciousness, however, this is not the case.

Symptoms may appear immediately or develop over several days. They may last a few days to several months and interfere with schoolwork and social life. Take your child to see their primary care provider or to urgent care if they experience the following:

After evaluation, if the symptoms continue or get worse over the next two weeks, a doctor may refer your child to our concussion clinic for further assessment and treatment.

The best-known treatment for a concussion in children is rest. However, it can take from one to three weeks to fully recover. Your child must be monitored throughout the entire process.

Managing a concussion means creating a support system around your child. Adults at home, at school, and those supervising sports need to change and modify the environment around the child to maximize their concussion recovery.

Returning to play or regular activity before the brain has healed may result in more frequent and recurring concussions. This can lead to even more lost playing time and an increasingly severe condition known as second impact syndrome.

Second impact syndrome occurs when a second concussion is sustained while still recovering from a previous one. The injury occurs when the brain is still injured and unable to protect itself to the best of its ability. This causes severe swelling of the brain and can potentially be fatal.

Post-concussive syndrome is the consequence of a previous head injury. This term identifies concussed patients who are not improving as expected. Post-concussive syndrome does not appear to be associated with how significant the concussion was. Instead, it seems to be related to the location of the brain injury. Post-concussive syndrome is generally defined as the development of at least three of the following symptoms persisting at least four to six weeks:

Anyone displaying these symptoms requires thorough physical and neurological examinations by a medical specialist. Individuals with a history of attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder, learning disability, migraine headaches or psychiatric conditions may be at a greater risk of experiencing post-concussive syndrome.

Concussions can occur in many different settings and almost any sport, including cheerleading. But athletes in contact sports such as football, hockey, soccer, basketball and baseball have a 10 to 20 percent chance of experiencing a concussion each season. According to national statistics, in high school football alone, players across the U.S. experience as many as 250,000 concussions each year.

A baseline test looks at a student athlete's balance and brain function. Ideally, this assessment takes place before the season's first practice or the beginning of the school year. The test scores balance, concentration and memory. This information is invaluable if a concussion is suspected. The physicians can compare results from the original baseline test to those from a follow-up exam. This can help determine the athlete's brain function impact.

Baseline tests also assist physicians in making decisions regarding return to school and play. To learn more about scheduling a baseline test for your student-athlete, please call (316) 962-2080.