7.16 Post Concussion Symptom Reports, Dizziness Handicap Inventory, Cardiff Visual, King Devick, Head Thrust Test and Full Return to School Following Sport-Related Concussion in Youth

Objective To evaluate the impact of self-reported symptoms, Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and Cardiff Vision (CVAQC), vestibulo-ocular (VOR) and ocular motor (OM) performance on return to school in youth diagnosed with a sport-related concussion (SRC). Design Prospective cohort study that is part of the larger SiMPly Rehab study. Setting Community sport medicine clinic and Children's hospital in Calgary and Montreal, Canada. Participants Eighty-three youth aged 8–18 years [45(54.22%) females; mean age 14.16+/-2.33], diagnosed with SRC. Outcome Measures Self-reported symptoms [Post Concussion Symptom Inventory + Sport Concussion Assessment Tool, mod/severe symptoms headache, dizziness, neck pain, visual complaints dichotomized youth [mild=0,1,2, mod/severe≥3/6], child [mild=0,1, mod/severe=2/2]], DHI, CVAQC, OM [King Devick (KD)], VOR [Head Thrust Test (HTT)], return to school [full return, return with accommodations, not returned]. Main Results At the initial assessment most participants had returned to school with accommodations (n=48, 63.16%) or fully returned (n=19, 25.0%). Three positive HTT were noted. At 6-months, 6(8.96%) participants had not fully returned. Youth reporting mod/severe headache at initial assessment had 0.10 (95% CI 0.026, 0.39) odds of returning to school at 8-weeks but did not differ for dizziness, visual complaints, neck pain, or KD. For every point increase in DHI [OR=0.95 (95% CI 0.92, 0.99)] and CVAQC [OR=0.33 (95% CI 0.16, 0.67), odds of returning to school by 8-weeks decreased. Conclusions Reports of moderate or severe headache at initial assessment and greater functional limitations reported on the DHI and CAVQC were associated with not fully returning to school 8-weeks following SRC.