A recent study in The Journal of Pediatrics found that recreation-related concussions (RRC)––such as those from recess, gym class, and play––and non-sport or recreation-related concussions (non-SRRC)––from events like motor vehicle crashes, falls, and assault––are more common among patients 5 through 12 years old than sports-related concussions (SRC) from organized sports.

A study published in JAMA Network Open challenges the existing idea that early childhood concussion may have relatively benign effects and highlights that postconcussive symptoms can be relatively long-lasting.

The Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics published a study that found a significant correlation between children who sustain mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs/concussions) and risk of developing affective disorders (anxiety, depression, OCD, or adjustment disorders) and behavioral disorders (ADHD or Conduct Disorder) within four years post-injury.

In a study presented at the American Neurological Association annual meeting, researcher Catherine M. McDonald, PhD, RN, FAAN, found that many adolescents with concussions return to driving sooner than might be safe. Robert Herpen, in an article for Helio, notes, “Those with concussion had more trouble with decision-making and reaction times than those without.” 

Some people recover quickly from headache after concussion, but others take much longer. How do we know as soon as possible what will be the case for someone who has had a concussion? A recent study in Cephalalgia by Marbil and colleagues tracked the progression of headaches over time in children after a new concussion. They found that post-concussion headaches were common and were more severe in those with a history of headache prior to concussion.

A study conducted by Stephen C. Bunt et al. found that low resilience was associated with a greater number and increased severity of symptoms three months following a sports-related concussion (SRC).

A web-based concussion education initiative sponsored by the Barrow Neurological Institute, Barrow Brainbook, has reached over one million high school athletes in Arizona since its establishment in 2011. The initiative teaches students how to prevent concussions, recognize the signs and symptoms of concussions, and respond to concussions.

A study conducted by Theodore Macnow et al. found that patients who limited their screen time following a concussion recovered faster than those permitted unlimited screen time.

Mark Patrick Pankow et al. conducted the first-ever systematic review and meta-analysis of “incidence rates, risk factors, and prevention of concussion and head impacts” in youth tackle football. Their review, published in Sports Medicine, was “also the first to produce a pooled estimate of concussion incidence rate by session type in football (i.e., games, practices).”

A study of concussion patients to determine the impact of “initiating physical activity as soon as 24 to 48 hours after concussion to reduce persistent postconcussive symptoms.” They found that adolescent concussion patients who initiated physical activity before their first clinic visit (clinic visits were an average of 9.8 days after concussion) were better off.

A preliminary study suggests that younger soccer players encounter more total head impacts during “repetitive technical training activities,” while scrimmages and games resulted in fewer head impacts of “greater magnitude.”

A large-scale research project to study biomarkers that may predict delayed recovery in children and adolescents aged 11-18 was awarded $10 million by the National Institutes of Health. According to a UCLA press release, the research project (entitled CARE4Kids) will observe over thirteen hundred children and teens nationwide.

To help Nebraska teachers take care of their students who sustain a concussion, the Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska and the Nebraska Concussion Coalition have contracted for a state-wide subscription to the Get Schooled on Concussions program. According to an NPR article, “Based on a 2018 survey, 50 percent of Nebraska teachers surveyed said they don’t know how to take care of students with concussions.”

Researchers found that overparenting was associated with higher anxiety and stress for patients post-concussion and had a small yet significant correlation with longer recovery times. Further, higher emotional distress levels in patients were associated with worse clinical outcomes.