Concussion Symptoms by Mechanism of Injury in Elementary School–Aged Children

Abstract

Research in pediatric concussion has investigated mechanism of injury and symptom reporting separately, but there is no study that examines differences in symptom reporting across multiple mechanisms of injury in elementary school–aged children. The purpose of the study was to examine symptom presentation and determine if symptoms of concussed children in middle childhood differ based upon mechanism of injury. Participants included 104 children between the ages of 6 and 10 years enrolled from area concussion clinics within 30 days of injury. All participants completed an initial clinic visit that collected demographic and injury characteristics as well as measures of post-concussion symptoms, anxiety, and depression based on parent report. We grouped the participants based on mechanism of injury (sports related, fall, hit by object, and motor vehicle accident). There was a significant group difference for age (p = 0.02) and history of previous concussion. Headache, fatigue, and trouble concentrating were the most commonly reported symptoms (> 50% of sample). We found no significant group differences in reported symptoms, although sleep disturbance approached significance. We also found no significant differences for total post-concussion symptom counts or total scores on a screener for anxiety or depression. Overall, there were no symptom differences by mechanism of injury in this young age group; however, research with larger samples is needed to enhance knowledge of the physical and emotional sequelae of concussion in younger children and inform best practices for timely interventions.