CDC Pediatric mTBI Guideline | Concussion | Traumatic Brain Injury | CDC Injury Center

CDC Pediatric mTBI Guideline | Concussion | Traumatic Brain Injury | CDC Injury Center





CDC Releases New Guideline on Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (Concussion)

CDC’s new Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) Guideline is based on the most comprehensive review of the science on pediatric mTBI (commonly referred to as concussion) diagnosis and management to date—covering 25 years of research.

Published today in JAMA Pediatrics, the CDC Pediatric mTBI Guideline consists of 19 sets of clinical recommendations that are applicable to healthcare providers who care for patients with this injury in all settings, and seeks to improve the care of young patients with this injury.

Among the recommendations in CDC’s Pediatric mTBI Guideline are five key practice-changing recommendations. These include:

1. Do not routinely image pediatric patients to diagnose.
2. Use validated, age-appropriate symptom scales to diagnose mTBI.
3. Assess for risk factors for prolonged recovery, including: a history of mTBI or other brain injury, severe symptom presentation immediately after the injury, and personal characteristics and family history (such as learning difficulties and family and social stressors).
4. Provide patients with instructions on returning to activity customized to their symptoms.
5. Counsel patients to return gradually to non-sports activities after no more than a 2-3 days of rest.

CDC also developed free tools to help healthcare providers use the mTBI guideline in their practice. These tools include:

• A checklist for healthcare providers on diagnosis and management
• Quick guides to key recommendations
• Patient discharge instructions
• Recovery tips for parents
• A letter to schools to be filled in by healthcare providers

These tools and additional information on mTBI are available for download online.

Read the guideline:

• CDC Guideline on the Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Among Children
• Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Among Children: A Systematic Review

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• New #CDC mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) guideline represents most comprehensive review of science on pediatric mTBI diagnosis & management to date. [https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/PediatricmTBIGuideline.html] #TBI #CDCHEADSUP
• Clinicians: New #CDC Pediatric mTBI Guideline puts science into action to improve diagnosis & management of young patients [https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/PediatricmTBIGuideline.html] #TBI #CDCHEADSUP