The Cognitive and Physical Effects of Concussion on Youth Athletes

Abstract

Concussion and sports are at the peak of attention recently, due to the thousands of athletes who suffer from the detrimental effects of the sports-related head injury. This study explores the short-term cognitive and physical effects that result from a sustained concussion in youth football athletes. The short-term cognitive and physical symptoms at pre-season and post-season are elucidated to determine the developmental risks and consequences of sustaining a concussion as a youth athlete. 213 football players aged 10- 12 completed the Child-SCAT3 Symptom Evaluation prior to full contact practice to establish a true baseline for each athlete and determine the normal range of baseline symptoms and symptom frequencies. A subgroup of 51 youth football players aged 10-12 underwent a more comprehensive assessment using the complete Child-SCAT3 at preseason and post-season, to pinpoint the cognitive impairments of sustained concussion. Background questionnaires were utilized to obtain a concussion history of individual athletes and length of time in which full recovery is obtained. A slight decline in cognitive functioning was found, although the effects were very small. A baseline symptom rating of 0 at pre-season is not typical.