Representing children who have sustained a traumatic brain injury can be challenging. Because the brain does not fully mature until around the age of 25, it is difficult to predict the child's chances of full recovery. The antiquated view was that due to brain elasticity, children who sustain mild traumatic brain injuries will fully recover. According to evidence in a recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, that is not the case.
The study examined the risk of concussion in children who had a previous history of having sustained a concussion. The researchers utilized a systematic review and meta-analysis. The researchers from Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute and the University of Ottawa utilized seven studies out of 732 that were identified. The seven studies represented 23,411 children. The researchers found that "previously concussed children have four times the risk of sustaining a concussion compared with those with no previous concussion history."
With this increased risk of future brain injury, neurolaw attorneys must take this into account when preparing a pediatric case for trial.
Originally Published 29 June 2021
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