Concussion conference to be held in Scottsdale
Mar 21, 2014, 6:34 PM | Updated: 6:34 pm
PHOENIX — Concussions continue to be a serious issue for kids and athletes, and a group of leaders in the field of study, treatment and prevention of concussions are coming to the Valley.
The CACTIS (Central Arizona Center for Therapy and Imaging Services) Foundation and Banner Concussion Center are hosting “Concussion 2014: The Essentials” at the Scottsdale Plaza Hotel on Saturday, which will feature lectures and discussions about the injury.
Jonathan Havens, conference coordinator with the CACTIS Foundation, said speakers are coming from all across the country and attendees will include students, nurses, athletic trainers and other healthcare professionals.
“This concussion crisis is a very hot-button topic as of right now,” Havens said.
Havens added that one of the most interesting items to be discussed at the conference is called a visual motor enhancement trainer (VMET).
“It’s a screen that helps evaluate the field of vision and timing of concussion patients,” he said.
The interactive screen has patients touch points that appear on the screen as quickly and accurately as they can — which can be used to compare a patient before and after a concussion if they’ve been tested prior, the severity of a concussion, or the prolonged effects multiple concussions could have on someone’s vision and motor skills, Havens said.
The conference will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
