Tool Can Now Help Doctors Better Predict Kids At Higher Risk For Ongoing Concussion Symptoms

When a child gets a concussion, there's a huge possibility that he or she might experience persistent symptoms afterwards, which the doctors could not clearly assess how long it will last. But now, doctors could predict which patients are at a higher risk for prolonged symptoms with the help of the newly developed clinical scoring system.

Researchers from Canada evaluated more than 30,000 people, including children who had suffered a concussion. And about 30% of the patients ended up with persistent post-concussion symptoms like dizziness, headaches, sensitivity and poor concentration that lasted for a month or more.

Based on a predictive score from a series of questions which was developed by the researchers, they found out that doctors can predict continuing symptoms through the help of nine predictor factors. These factors were then used in a 12- point risk score that includes sex, age, history of migraines, problem with balance and history of concussion.

Dr. Roger Zemek, lead author of the study said the new method is way better than the currently used method - physician's judgment alone. He said the doctors can easily use the tool and it can provide a result with 93% accuracy.

However, Zemek admitted that a further research is more needed before the new assessment method can be fully used in the clinical practice. "Clearly it is still understudied," Zemek said to Ottawa Citizen.

The study which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association was led by Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). The data that were used in the research were provided by eight pediatric emergency departments, including Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Western Ontario, Montreal Children's Hospital, IWK Health Sciences Centre, CHU Sainte-Justine, Stollery Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital of Winnipeg and Hospital for Sick Children, according to the report of CBC.