Synopsis
Concussion accounts for up to 90% of all paediatric emergency presentations with a head injury. These head strikes may result in post-concussion symptoms, such as balance impairment, somatic and/or emotional symptoms, cognitive impairment, fatigue and sleep disturbances. Research shows that most affected children recover spontaneously, with symptoms resolving within 2-4 weeks. However, about 30% of patients will experience post-concussive symptoms persisting beyond one month post-injury which interfere with school participation, academic achievement, sports participation, social relationships, mental health and quality of life. Our presentation will provide an update of current, evidence-informed approaches that accelerate recovery from child and youth concussion. We will also present own effective multidisciplinary intervention, Concussion Essentials and highlight our future plans for community-focused education and intervention.
Speakers
Professor Vicki Anderson is a paediatric neuropsychologist and clinician and researcher, currently Director, Clinical Sciences Research, and Group leader, Brain and Mind, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and past head of RCH Psychology. Her research focuses on improving outcomes from early childhood brain injury by delivering effective and accessible clinical care, including e-health parent mental health interventions. digital health tools for monitoring and treating concussion, and authorship of the first-ever international paediatric sports concussion guidelines of the International Consensus on Sports Concussion.
Katie Davies is the lead physiotherapist on the Concussion Essentials team. Her background is in the field of neurological rehabilitation but has narrowed into the vestibular and concussion space in the second half of her career. Her work in concussion spans across clinical assessment and management, education and research with children and adults across community and elite sport. When not immersed in everything concussion she is the principal physiotherapist at Neurological Rehabilitation Group.
Vanessa Rausa is a clinical neuropsychologist and PhD candidate with experience in concussion management and the treatment of persisting symptoms in both paediatric and adult populations. Her PhD research evaluated a personalised multimodal intervention for children and adolescents with persisting post-concussion symptoms, with a particular focus on chronic presentations.