Concussion does not alter IQ scores in pediatric patients, Finds study

A new study revealed that pediatric concussion does not negatively affect intellectual functioning or IQ scores for up to 3 months after injury. Hence the caregivers should not be suggested to make the child undergo IQ assessment tests due to their limited clinical utility. The study results were published in the journal Pediatrics. 

Academic success and overall quality of life are two areas where global functioning, as determined by IQ, is a strong predictor. A mild traumatic brain injury in the form of blunt head trauma leading to concussion is a common injury among children. Literature shows mixed results on IQ levels after a pediatric concussion. Hence, researchers from the U.S.A and Canada conducted a study by combining data from two multisite, prospective cohort studies to investigate IQ score differences in children with concussion versus mild orthopedic injury (OI). 

Nearly 866 Children aged 8–16.99 years were recruited for two prospective cohort studies from emergency departments at children’s hospitals. They were recruited from 2 sites in the United States and 5 in Canada in less than 48 hours after sustaining a concussion or orthopedic injury. They completed IQ and performance validity testing post-acutely (3–18 days postinjury; United States) or 3 months postinjury (Canada). Linear modeling, Bayesian, and multigroup factor analysis were the three complementary statistical approaches used to examine the Group differences in IQ scores in children who were performing the above cutoffs on validity testing. 

Key Findings: 

• Linear models showed small group differences in full-scale IQ, but not in vocabulary scores.
• There was no relation between IQ scores and previous concussion, acute clinical features, injury mechanism, a validated clinical risk score, pre- or postinjury symptom ratings, litigation, or symptomatic status at 1-month postinjury.
• Bayesian models provided moderate to very strong evidence against group differences in IQ scores. 
• Multigroup factor analysis further demonstrated strict measurement invariance, indicating group equivalence in the factor structure of the IQ test and latent variable means. 

Thus, clinicians should provide meaningful guidance to children and caregivers that pediatric concussion does not negatively affect intellectual functioning early and up to 3 months postinjury and there will be limited use of IQ tests to assess concussion outcomes. 

Further reading: Ashley L. Ware, PhD. IQ After Pediatric Concussion. Pediatrics e2022060515. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-060515