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A Multi-Modal Approach to Assessing Recovery in Youth Athletes Following Concussion
Published on: September 25, 2014
Pediatric sports-related concussion
Kevin M Guskiewicz1, Tamara C Valovich McLeod
1Department of Exercise and Sport Science, 209 Fetzer, CB#8700, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8700, USA. gus@email.unc.edu
Insights
Pediatric concussion research is limited, showing longer recovery times for children and adolescents. A conservative approach is crucial for young athletes
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sports Medicine
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Sports-related concussions in children and adolescents are a growing concern.
- Existing literature on pediatric concussion is limited, particularly regarding epidemiology and etiology.
- The unique physiological and cognitive development of young athletes necessitates specific considerations for concussion management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize existing pediatric concussion literature.
- To examine epidemiology, etiology, return to play protocols, and recurrent concussion risks in young athletes.
- To provide recommendations for future research directions in pediatric concussion.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review of pediatric concussion.
- Databases searched include MEDLINE, CINAHL, Sport-Discus, and PsychInfo (1995-2010).
- Reference lists of identified articles were also reviewed.
Main Results:
- Research on sports-related concussion in children and adolescents is notably limited.
- Concussion incidence appears relatively rare compared to other pediatric sports injuries.
- Children and adolescents demonstrate longer recovery periods than adults, highlighting risks of mismanagement and subsequent injuries.
Conclusions:
- A more conservative management approach is warranted for pediatric concussion.
- Standard assessment tools may be less effective for tracking recovery in developing brains.
- Further research is essential to better understand concussion mechanisms, responses, and recovery in young athletes.
Abstract:
This article aims to examine pediatric concussion literature with respect to epidemiology, etiology, return to play, and recurrent concussions, and to provide recommendations for future research. We conducted a review of pediatric concussion literature regarding incidence, etiology, return to play, and recurrent concussive injury by using MEDLINE, CINAHL, Sport-Discus, and PsychInfo databases from 1995-2010. A review of reference lists in the aforementioned articles was also performed. We discovered that the research on sports-related concussion specific to children and adolescents is rather limited. Results of existing studies of concussion incidence in this population indicate that concussion is relatively rare compared with most musculoskeletal injuries; however, the potential consequences of mismanagement and of subsequent injury warrant significant attention regarding injury recognition and recovery, and the challenge of determining readiness to return to play. Evidence exists that children and adolescents take longer to recover than adults after a concussion, which underscores the need for a more conservative approach to management and return to physical and cognitive activities. Concussion in the young athlete is of specific concern because of the continuing cognitive maturation, therefore, the recovery may be more difficult to track when using the standard assessment tools currently available. Until future studies can better delineate the mechanisms of, response to, and recovery from concussion in the young athlete, it is prudent to act in a conservative manner when dealing with pediatric athletes with concussion.
