WASHINGTON — Hundreds of thousands of athletes — from little kids to pros — suffer concussions each year while playing sports.
Professional and college teams usually have a doctor or trainer on the sidelines to do an immediate assessment. But what about children, who often play with no medical professionals around at all?
It’s a worry for parents and coaches every time a child takes a hit to the head. But researchers say they have found a simple, easy screening that any adult can administer on the spot to check for signs of trouble.
They suggest a simple vision test — the KingDevick test — that uses flash cards to check eye function. KingDevick, already used by some pro trainers as part of comprehensive concussion screening in adults, is seen as a pretty good indicator of cognitive ability.
A team at the NYU Langone Concussion Center was the first to evaluate the test in kids as young as five. They tracked 350 athletes in all — from little ones in youth ice hockey leagues to collegiate lacrosse players — and found the vision test was a great way to determine which kids had concussions and which did not.
The researchers stressed the vision test is not an alternative to a comprehensive assessment. But they say it is a good initial screening — and should be added to the current protocol of cognitive and balance testing.
