title: A Pilot Study Investigating Neuropsychological Consultation as an Intervention for Persistent Postconcussive Symptoms in a Pediatric Sample.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the efficacy of a one-time neuropsychological consultation as an intervention for youth with persistent postconcussive symptoms following mild traumatic brain injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a prospective interrupted time series design, we enrolled 80 patients aged 8-17 years referred consecutively for clinical neuropsychological consultation. Patients needed to have sustained injury between 2 and 12 months prior to enrollment. Parent and child postconcussive symptom ratings were used as the primary outcome measures and were collected at 6 time points, 3 before the neuropsychological consultation and 3 after. Repeated measure ANOVA was used to estimate the magnitude of change in symptom ratings before and after the neuropsychological intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The decrease in symptoms for the week prior to consultation was nonsignificant by both child (P = .63) and parent (P = .19) report. In contrast, for both reporters, the decrease in symptoms at 1 week and 3 months postconsultation was significant (P < .0001). The difference in reported change was also significant when comparing the week before the intervention to the 3 months after (child: P < .0001; parent: P = .0009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postconcussive symptoms decreased significantly following the neuropsychological consultation. The primary limitation of the study is that it lacked randomization and a control group. The results warrant further research into the benefits of neuropsychological consultation after mild traumatic brain injury and provide justification for clinical providers to consider referring to neuropsychologists in the face of persistent postconcussive symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO. Electronic address: Michael.Kirkwood@childrenscolorado.org.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Kirkwood
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO.
authors.forename: Robin L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO.
authors.forename: Amy K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Connery
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO; Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO.
authors.forename: Jeri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Forster
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010290:Parents; D010865:Pilot Projects; D038223:Post-Concussion Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation