title: 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).
  
  
  METHODS
  Urban hospital emergency department.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parents of 159 children aged 2 to 12 years who presented with an injury to the head.
  
  
  METHODS
  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 concussion were reported in all groups; however, significantly fewer symptoms were reported for children with superficial injuries to the head than for children with mTBI (M = 2.51 vs M = 6.91; P < .001). For mTBI, parents of younger children reported significantly fewer symptoms than parents of older children (M = 5.23 vs M = 8.51; P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A careful approach needs to be taken when evaluating the severity of mTBI for preschool children. Failure to do so may result in misidentification and subsequent lack of management.
authors: School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (Dr McKinlay); University of Canterbury (Dr McKinlay), and Canterbury District Health Board (Ms Ligteringen); and Christchurch Hospital Emergency Department (Dr Than), Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors: Audrey
authors: A
authors: McKinlay
authors: Veronica
authors: V
authors: Ligteringen
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Than
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D001288:Attention; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003221:Confusion / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004244:Dizziness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D016489:Head Injuries, Closed / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010290:Parents; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D019037:Urban Health Services; D014839:Vomiting / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology