Comparing Acute Symptoms and Recovery Time Following Sports-Related Concussion Across School Age Groups

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Despite considerable research on pediatric sports-related concussion (SRC), few studies have analyzed groups from school-age through young adulthood. This study aimed to examine acute symptoms (i.e., emotional, physical, and cognitive) and recovery times across this age range. Methods Participants age 5–25 with SRC (n=611) presented to concussion clinics in the North Texas Concussion Registry within 2 weeks of injury. Subjects were stratified into 4 age groups: early elementary (age 5-9; n=19), late elementary (10–13; n=181), high school (14-17; n=384), and college (18-25; n=39). The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), General Anxiety Disorder-7 Item Scale (GAD-7), and concussion symptom log (Sx log), were administered. ANOVA was used to compare symptom scores and recovery times across groups. Results Differences were found on PHQ-9 scores (p=.05), with the early elementary and high school groups reporting significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms than the late elementary and college groups. No differences were seen on GAD-7 scores. Differences in Sx log severity scores were nonsignificant (p=.09), although scores increased with age (early: M=21.4, late=25.7, high school=30.0, college=35.5). Lastly, recovery time differed across groups (p=.008), with early elementary participants having the longest recovery (M=8.3 days) and the college group having the shortest (M=5.1 days). Conclusion Older age groups reported higher levels of acute post-concussion symptoms and more rapid recovery compared to younger age groups, suggesting that symptomatology and recovery time vary developmentally and the effects of age warrant consideration in young athletes.