The Short Answer Educational content only. This is general information, not legal or medical advice, and school accommodation rights and youth sports rules vary by location and change over time. Any suspected concussion warrants prompt medical evaluation. Work with your child's physician and school, and verify current local laws and school policies. Consult a concussion-experienced clinician for individualized care. Standardized tests accommodate concussed students through options such as extended time, breaks, a separate quiet room, reduced screen exposure, and, when recovery makes testing unwise, deferring the test to a later date (Halstead et al., 2013). Because concussion impairs exactly the abilities standardized tests measure, processing speed, sustained attention, and working memory, testing through symptoms can produce a score that reflects the injury rather than the student's ability. Accommodations usually must be requested in advance with medical documentation, and testing organizations have formal processes. For a student mid-recovery, postponing a high-stakes test to a later date is often the better choice than testing through symptoms with accommodations. Accommodations include extended time, breaks, a quiet room, and deferral options. They usually must be requested in advance with medical documentation. Postponing is often better than testing through symptoms mid-recovery. Why Concussion Conflicts With Standardized Testing Standardized tests are demanding in exactly the ways concussion makes hardest. They require sustained attention over hours, fast processing under time pressure, working memory, and reading stamina, all of which concussion impairs. They are often administered in bright, crowded rooms with screens, which can provoke headache, light sensitivity, and fatigue. And they are high-stakes, so the pressure adds arousal that further degrades performance. A student tested in the middle of recovery may produce a score that reflects their concussion rather than their true ability, which is why accommodation, or postponement, matters so much for these tests specifically. The Types of Accommodations Available Testing organizations offer a range of accommodations for students with documented conditions. Extended time reduces the pressure of the time limit and allows for slowed processing. Breaks, including extra or extended breaks, let the student rest before symptoms build. A separate, quiet testing room reduces the sensory load of a crowded, bright hall. Reduced screen exposure or paper formats help with screen-triggered symptoms. Permission for items like sunglasses, water, or medication can help. The specific accommodations depend on the testing organization and the student's documented needs, matched to their symptoms. The Deferral Option For many concussed students, the most sensible accommodation is not to take the test during recovery at all, but to defer it to a later date once recovered. High-stakes standardized tests are usually offered on multiple dates, and postponing allows the student to test when they can perform at their true level rather than through symptoms. Testing through a concussion, even with accommodations, risks a score that undersells the student and that they may then feel pressure to accept or explain. When the timeline allows, deferral often serves the student better than accommodated testing mid-recovery. The choice depends on the specific test, its available dates, and the student's recovery trajectory. How to Request Accommodations Identify the testing organization's process and deadlines, which often require advance notice Obtain medical documentation of the concussion and its impact from the treating clinician Request the specific accommodations the student needs through the official process Consider whether deferring the test to a later date is the better option Coordinate with the school, which often assists with testing accommodation requests Allow time, since approval processes can take weeks Assessment and Planning The medical provider documents the concussion, its symptoms, and their effect on the abilities the test demands, which supports an accommodation request or a rationale for deferral. The family and school navigate the testing organization's formal process, which typically requires advance application and documentation, so planning ahead matters. A central part of the decision is weighing accommodated testing against deferral: if recovery is expected to allow a later test at full ability, deferral is often preferable, while if the timeline forces testing during recovery, accommodations reduce the disadvantage. The provider and family make this judgment together based on the student's trajectory and the test's schedule. Recovery and return to school go more smoothly when the nervous system is regulated and symptoms are managed day to day. Start your 3-day free trial to build a supportive daily routine. Supporting Mobility Routine JME 155 Diaphragmatic breathing lowers the arousal that amplifies symptoms during schoolwork and steadies the nervous system. Ten slow breaths, several times daily. JME 14 Chin tucks reduce the upper cervical tension that feeds headache during reading and screen work. Ten repetitions with 5-second holds. JME 1 Cervical rotation restores segmental mobility and supports blood flow through the vertebral arteries to the brain. Ten repetitions per direction. JME 15 Cervical lateral flexion addresses side-bending restriction that sustains neck tension during desk work. Ten repetitions per side. JME 16 Cervical flexion and extension restore sagittal mobility restricted by suboccipital guarding. Eight slow repetitions. JME 2 Cervical retraction reinforces a neutral head position that reduces the postural strain of sitting at a desk. Ten repetitions per set. JME 150 Thoracic rotation restores mid-back motion needed for full diaphragmatic breathing and relaxed upright posture. Eight repetitions per direction. JME 227 Overhead reach opens the thoracic spine and rib cage, supporting the deep breathing that calms an overloaded nervous system between study blocks. Ten repetitions with controlled tempo. Start your 3-day free trial for joint-specific mobility programming that supports the nervous system regulation behind recovery and return to school. Common Mistakes Testing through a concussion when deferring to a later date is possible Missing the advance deadlines for requesting accommodations Not obtaining the medical documentation the process requires Assuming accommodations fully offset the impact of testing mid-recovery Overlooking the school's help with accommodation requests Progression Standardized tests accommodate concussed students with extended time, breaks, a quiet room, reduced screens, and deferral, requested in advance with medical documentation through the testing organization's process. Because concussion impairs the abilities these tests measure, the key decision is whether to defer to a later date or test with accommodations, made with the provider and family based on the recovery trajectory and the test schedule. Can a student get extra time on standardized tests after a concussion? Yes, extended time is a common accommodation, along with breaks, a separate quiet room, and reduced screen exposure. These usually must be requested in advance through the testing organization's formal process with medical documentation of the concussion and its impact. Approval can take weeks, so planning ahead matters. Should a student take a standardized test during concussion recovery? Often it is better to defer. Concussion impairs the processing speed, attention, and stamina these tests measure, so testing mid-recovery, even with accommodations, risks a score that reflects the injury rather than ability. When the test is offered on later dates, postponing until recovered often serves the student better than accommodated testing during recovery. How do I request testing accommodations for a concussion? Identify the testing organization's process and deadlines, obtain medical documentation of the concussion and its impact, and request the specific accommodations through the official process, often with the school's help. Consider whether deferring the test is the better option, and allow time, since approval processes can take weeks. Why is standardized testing especially hard after a concussion? Standardized tests demand sustained attention over hours, fast processing under time pressure, working memory, and reading stamina, exactly the abilities concussion impairs, often in bright, crowded, screen-filled rooms that provoke symptoms. The high stakes add pressure that further degrades performance, so a student tested mid-recovery may score below their true ability. Does deferring a standardized test hurt a student's chances? Deferring to a later date usually lets the student test at their true level rather than through symptoms, which generally serves them better than a score depressed by the concussion. High-stakes tests are offered on multiple dates, so postponing is often feasible. The decision depends on the test schedule and the student's recovery trajectory. The Return-to-Learn Principle Return to learn is a graded, symptom-guided return to school and cognitive work after concussion, and it generally begins before and progresses alongside return to sport (Halstead et al., 2013). The principle is to reintroduce cognitive activity in stages that stay within a tolerable symptom range, increasing the amount and difficulty as tolerance improves. Complete cognitive rest beyond the first day or two is not recommended, since prolonged rest can slow recovery, and neither is pushing far past the point where symptoms meaningfully worsen. The goal is meaningful engagement with school at a level the student can handle, adjusted as they recover. Common School Accommodations Rest breaks during the day in a quiet space when symptoms build Reduced or modified workload and extended time for assignments Deferring or reducing tests and major assignments during recovery Reduced screen time and printed rather than digital materials Preferential seating and permission to wear sunglasses or a hat for light sensitivity A later start or shortened day when morning symptoms or fatigue are high Access to notes and reduced note-taking demands A quiet, low-stimulation setting for tests The School Team and Communication Effective return to learn depends on communication between the family, the medical provider, and the school team, which may include teachers, a school nurse, a counselor, and administrators. A written plan from the medical provider that lists current symptoms and recommended accommodations gives the school clear guidance, and regular updates let accommodations be adjusted as the student recovers. Designating a point person at the school to coordinate helps, since a concussed student may otherwise have to negotiate separately with many teachers. Communication is the practical engine of a good return-to-learn plan. Red Flags and When to Seek Care Any suspected concussion warrants prompt medical evaluation, and certain features require emergency care: repeated vomiting, worsening or severe headache, seizures, increasing confusion or drowsiness, weakness or numbness, slurred speech, or a child who cannot be woken. Younger children who cannot describe their symptoms need especially close observation. During recovery, worsening rather than improving symptoms, or symptoms persisting beyond the expected window, warrant re-evaluation. Return to sport and other activities with head-injury risk should wait until full recovery and clearance by an appropriate clinician, following a graded process, to avoid the danger of a second injury before recovery. References Halstead, M. E., McAvoy, K., & Devore, C. D. (2013). Returning to learning following a concussion. Pediatrics, 132(5), 948-957. PubMed Lumba-Brown, A., Yeates, K. O., et al. (2018). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guideline on the diagnosis and management of mild traumatic brain injury among children. JAMA Pediatrics, 172(11), e182853. PubMed Patricios, J. S., et al. (2023). Consensus statement on concussion in sport: the 6th International Conference on Concussion in Sport, Amsterdam, October 2022. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57(11), 695-711. PubMed