A Comparison of Concussive Symptoms Reported by Parents for Preschool Versus School-Aged Children

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To compare parental report of symptoms of concussion for children with superficial head injury versus children with a diagnosis of a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). SETTING: Urban hospital emergency department. PARTICIPANTS: Parents of 159 children aged 2 to 12 years who presented with an injury to the head. PROCEDURE: Parents were contacted within 1 week of injury and assigned into 3 groups according to their child's age and medical diagnosis (group 1, parents of 2- to 5-year-olds with mTBI (n = 39); group 2, parents of 6- to 12-year-olds with mTBI (n = 41); and group 3, parents of 2- to 12-year-olds with superficial injury to the head (n = 35). RESULTS: Symptoms of concussio..