While there are many things that parents throughout country worry about when it comes to their children, it's fair to say that for most, their health and safety is at the top of the list. Even when precautions are taken to keep them safe, in a variety of situations, children are injured each day. Sometimes the injuries are more serious than others. Concussions are generally considered to be on the more serious side.
Following the diagnosis of a concussion, it is important to get the right treatment. While there are certain symptoms that are associated with a concussion, because every injury and each person's body is different, exactly how the injury will manifest itself in a person will vary. According to a Canadian study recently published in the journal of the American Medical Association, gender also plays a role.
The study, whose lead author is a pediatric emergency researcher at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa, focused on more than 3,000 children who, between the years of 2013 and 2015, were diagnosed with a concussion. Aged 5 to 18, the group was comprised of both males and females. The children were evaluated twice, one month apart.
The evaluations consisted not only of a routine co-ordination and balance test, but also standardized questions. In addition to information provided by the children, when necessary, physicians and parents provided necessary input.
The study revealed several demographics that could be at risk for a higher risk of long-term effects following a concussion. The first is older children and teens-specifically those above the age of 7. In addition, girls are more likely to deal with long-term symptoms associated with a concussion-nearly twice as likely as boys.
While there is clearly much more to be learned about concussions, the results of this study are important as they could play a role in determining the best treatment approach for a patient.
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