Relationships among post-concussive symptoms and symptoms of PTSD in children following mild traumatic brain injury.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

To investigate the occurrence of post-concussive symptoms (PCS) and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children following mild traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

RESEARCH DESIGN

Longitudinal study comparing the outcomes of mild TBI and orthopaedic injuries (OI) in children aged 8-15.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

One hundred and eighty-six children with mild TBI and 99 with OI were recruited prospectively. Parents rated children's PCS and symptoms of PTSD at 2 weeks, 3 months and 12 months post-injury. One hundred and sixty-seven with mild TBI and 84 with OI completed all assessments.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

Controlling for symptoms of PTSD, the mild TBI group demonstrated more PCS than the OI group, although the magnitude of group differences diminished with time. Controlling for PCS, the OI group displayed more symptoms of PTSD than the mild TBI group at baseline, but not thereafter. Symptoms of PTSD and PCS were correlated significantly, but more highly in the OI group than the mild TBI group.

CONCLUSIONS

Although PCS and symptoms of PTSD are correlated, children with mild TBI are more distinguishable from children with OI based on PCS than on symptoms of PTSD. The latter symptoms, moreover, do not account for increased PCS following mild TBI in children.