Concussion Evaluation and Management in Pediatric Patients

Course overview

Concussions are head injuries that are caused by a traumatic, biomechanical force. The symptoms of concussion are primarily the result of functional disturbances, not structural injuries, and may include headache, dizziness, changes in mood or behavior, and changes in sleep patterns. Despite increased awareness of the injury, concussion remains under-reported and under-diagnosed. Diagnosis of a concussion is based largely on the presence of clinical symptoms as there is no quantitative test for concussion. Neuroimaging is considered to be overused in the acute evaluation of concussions since imaging technologies, such as CT, cannot diagnose concussion. CT can only identify more serious injuries, such as hemorrhages or contusions. In the future, serum biomarkers may be helpful in stratifying patients at increased risk of related injuries or complications from concussion.