Researchers discovered that children aged 5 to 12 are more likely to get a concussion from non-sports activities than from sports. However, these injuries are often not noticed by specialists until days later than sports-related concussions in the same age group.
A study conducted by researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) revealed that children aged 5 to 12 are more prone to concussions from non-sports activities, and these injuries are often detected by specialists days later than concussions from sports activities in the same age group.
The research indicates the need to focus on concussion prevention and diagnosis in children participating in activities outside of sports. Providing more training and resources to healthcare providers who diagnose concussions in this age group, especially in emergency departments and primary care settings, could improve the quality of concussion care regardless of how the injury occurred. The study was recently published in the Journal of Pediatrics.
While adolescents are known to experience a high number of sports and recreation-related injuries, children between the ages of 5 and 12 also have a substantial injury rate, with about 72.7 injuries per 1000 children. Over half of children in this age group engage in sports activities to promote their overall health and development, but this participation also carries the risk of experiencing a concussion.
Previous studies have mainly focused on adolescents and sports-related concussions, indicating the importance of investigating concussions in younger children, regardless of how the injury occurred. Research from nearly a decade ago highlighted the significance of non-sports and recreation-related concussions in elementary age children. These injuries differ in terms of adult supervision at the time of the incident, impacting the prompt recognition of a concussion, access to care, and recovery duration.
Senior study author Kristy Arbogast, PhD, emphasized the importance of recognizing and treating injuries occurring outside of sports, stating that these injuries, though less structured, can be as severe and frequent in this age group. Increased education and awareness about concussions among individuals interacting with children in informal settings like play areas are crucial. Patients injured outside of sports and recreation tended to experience more severe symptoms and disruptions in their daily lives, and delayed care could worsen these negative effects.
By analyzing data from a pediatric concussion registry, researchers examined concussions in children aged 5 to 12, categorizing them based on the cause of injury (sports-related or not). They differentiated between injuries from recreational activities and other non-sports causes like falls or motor vehicle accidents, given the prevalence of unstructured play in this age group. The study included 1,141 patients with concussions in this age range, assessed within four weeks of the injury to evaluate demographics, healthcare entry points, and clinical symptoms across different causes.
The study revealed that injuries from recreational activities were the most common among children aged 5 to 12, accounting for 37.3% of cases, followed by non-sports or recreation-related injuries at 31.9%. Notably, concussions from recreational and non-sports activities were more often first detected in emergency departments than sports-related concussions. Patients with concussions from recreational or non-sports activities received specialist evaluation 2 to 3 days later on average compared to those with sports-related concussions. Moreover, patients in the former group reported more severe symptoms, including visual and vestibular issues, as well as disruptions in their sleep and daily routines.
Study co-author Daniel Corwin, MD, highlighted the importance of equipping clinical teams with the necessary tools for diagnosing and managing concussions in this age group, where injuries occur outside of organized sports. These findings can also guide the development of resources in schools, such as involving school nurses, to address disparities in care for children in this elementary age group who sustain injuries outside of sports.
This study received support from the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers R01NS097549 and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
