New Guidelines Endorsed by AAPM&R: Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain (mTBI) Injury Among Children

September 12, 2018

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), or concussion, in children is a rapidly growing public health concern because epidemiologic data indicate a marked increase in the number of emergency department visits for mTBI over the past decade. However, no evidence-based clinical guidelines have been developed to date for diagnosing and managing pediatric mTBI in the United States, until now.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) Guideline is based on the most comprehensive review of the science on pediatric mTBI diagnosis and management to date—covering 25 years of research. The guideline consists of 19 sets of clinical recommendations that cover diagnosis, prognosis, and management and treatment. These recommendations are applicable to health care providers in all settings and outline actions providers can take to improve the health of their patients with mTBI. The CDC Pediatric mTBI Guideline is the only evidence-based pediatric guideline in the United States for all causes of mTBI. This guideline identifies the best practices for mTBI based on the current evidence; updates will be made as the body of evidence grows.

Your Academy endorsed this important guideline in April, and applauds the CDC’s efforts to help safeguard the health of young Americans.