title: The specificity of post-concussive symptoms in the pediatric population.
abstract: The study compared patterns of reported symptoms between a mild head injury group and a group of children with abdominal complaints visiting an emergency department. Children (0-15 years) admitted to an emergency department during a three-month period with a history of head injury and a comparison group of children were included. Medical records at the time of injury were reviewed and follow-up questionnaires focused on presumed symptoms related to concussion at three months post-visit. The comparison group reported significantly more change in behaviour than the head injury group. However, for the older children, higher intensity of symptoms was reported by the comparison group compared to the head injury group. Initial differences in the amount and presence of symptoms between the two groups did not reflect the findings at three months; both groups reported symptoms or changes at three months after the event. Evaluating children aged under five, their symptoms and recovery patterns after a head injury is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Woman and Child Health, Neuropediatric Research Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. ann-charlotte.falk@karolinska.se
authors.forename: Ann-Charlotte
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Falk
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Von Wendt
authors.forename: Birgitta Klang
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Söderkvist
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents; D000293:Adolescent; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000150:complications; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D038223:Post-Concussion Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology