Management of Concussion in the Young Athlete

Sports-related concussion continues to be a rapidly growing public health concern in nearly all sports, and at all levels, in children and adolescents. Evidence-based clinical guidelines are constantly evolving but those specific to the pediatric population are less robust. There are nuances to treatment of the developing pediatric brain in the context of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The purposes of this review are to (1) analyze the differences in concussion symptom presentation and recovery in children versus adults, (2) describe the role of the physical therapist in management of pediatric concussion, (3) examine current recommendations for return to participation in school and return to sport, and (4) highlight the psychological implications of concussion in the young athlete. We find that additional research is needed in nearly all aspects of concussion in the young athletic population. The current evidence stresses the importance of an active approach to recovery using a stepwise progression.