Claim: Concussions in kids are detectable by blood test
Verdict: REFUTES

Retrieved passages:
title: Concussion
text: blood test known as the Brain Trauma Indicator was approved in the United States in 2018 and may be able to rule out the risk of intracranial bleeding and thus the need for a CT scan. Concussion may be under-diagnosed because of the lack of the highly noticeable signs and symptoms while athletes may minimize their injuries to remain in the competition. A retrospective survey in 2005 suggested that more than 88% of concussions are unrecognized. Diagnosis can be complex because concussion shares symptoms with other conditions. For example, post-concussion symptoms such as cognitive problems may be misattributed to brain

title: Sports-related traumatic brain injury
text: a fracture. CT or MRI detect any bleeding in the skull. The Glasgow Coma Scale classifies the severity of brain injury, with a score of 15 as normal and progressively lower scores indicating greater neurologic injury to the brain. After testing is completed, doctors will make an estimate on the extent of the injury and possible recovery time. If cranial bleeding and swelling is minor, a short hospital stay (up to a week) is needed with close observation. If bleeding is severe, the player may be treated as a patient with a severe head injury (with surgery as the main

title: Concussions in American football
text: were consistent with previous autopsy studies of individuals with CTE. The important distinction to make, however, is that the patients in Small's study were not on the slab and walked out after testing was completed. This is monumental in the field of brain trauma and concussion research. Based on recent new blood tests; evidence is revealing no change in blood plasma tau and serum neurofilament light concentrations following sport related concussions. However these levels did rise in more severe concussion sport related injuries. This can can potentially suggest that a new blood test be developed and help aid in identifying

title: Concussion
text: at any time, a CT is recommended. In addition, a CT scan is more likely to be performed if observation after discharge is not assured or intoxication is present, there is suspected increased risk for bleeding, age greater than 60, or less than 16. Most concussions, without complication, cannot be detected with MRI or CT scans. However, changes have been reported on MRI and SPECT imaging in those with concussion and normal CT scans, and post-concussion syndrome may be associated with abnormalities visible on SPECT and PET scans. Mild head injury may or may not produce abnormal EEG readings. A

title: Post-concussion syndrome
text: has found higher rates of post-concussion symptoms in children with TBI than in those with injuries to other parts of the body, and that the symptoms are more common in anxious children. Symptoms in children are similar to those in adults, but children exhibit fewer of them. Evidence from clinical studies found that high school-aged athletes had slower recoveries from concussion as measured by neuropsychological tests than college-aged ones and adults. PCS is rare in young children. A wide range of factors have been identified as being predictive of PCS, including low socioeconomic status, previous mTBI, a serious associated injury,

title: Brain death
text: cerebral blood flow scan that shows complete absence of intracranial blood flow must be considered with other exams – temporary swelling of the brain, particularly within the first 72 hours, can lead to a false positive test on a patient that may recover with more time. CT angiography is neither required nor sufficient test to make the diagnosis. Confirmatory testing is only needed under the age of 1. For children and adults, testing is optional. Other situations possibly requiring confirmatory testing include severe facial trauma where determination of brainstem reflexes will be difficult, pre-existing pupillary abnormalities, and patients with severe

title: Concussions in Australian sport
text: concussion. The occurrence of concussion in children during sport is significantly more likely compared to other levels of athletes. Roughly 20% of children playing sport are diagnosed with concussion. Despite the lower level of impact compared to the professional or amateur levels, children's neck muscles are quite weak and most lack the awareness and skill level to cushion or prepare themselves for a blow leading to a high concussion rate. The guidelines and protocols for a child suffering a concussion are basically the same as if an adult received one. For a child diagnosed with a concussion, the real issue

title: Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation
text: athletes in 12 additional sports. To date, more than 5,700 young athletes have received free baseline concussion testing and educational seminars for their parents. The test, which all NHL players undergo, evaluates the athlete's neurocognitive state which includes brain processing speed, memory, and visual motor skills. If the player suffers a concussion, these test results are then used in order to compare their previous neurocognitive state to that of their possible concussed state. Baseline testing is used because concussions do not show up on CT or MRI scans due to it not being a structural brain injury. Testing is necessary

title: Concussion
text: Concussion Concussion, also known as mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is typically defined as a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include headaches, trouble with thinking, memory or concentration, nausea, blurry vision, sleep disturbances or mood changes. Some symptoms may begin immediately, while others may appear days after the injury. Fewer than 10% of sports-related concussions among children are associated with loss of consciousness. It is not unusual for symptoms to last up to four weeks. Common causes include motor vehicle collisions, falls, sports injuries and bicycle accidents. Risk factors include drinking alcohol. The mechanism may involve

title: Concussion
text: intracranial hemorrhage. This includes the "ABCs" (airway, breathing, circulation) and stabilization of the cervical spine which is assumed to be injured in any athlete who is found to be unconscious after head or neck injury. Indications that screening for more serious injury is needed include worsening of symptoms such as headaches, persistent vomiting, increasing disorientation or a deteriorating level of consciousness, seizures, and unequal pupil size. Those with such symptoms, or those who are at higher risk of a more serious brain injury, may undergo brain imaging to detect lesions and are frequently observed for 24–48 hours. A brain CT

title: Concussions in American football
text: living players, are associated with Alzheimer's disease. Previously, this type of exam could only be performed with an autopsy. Scientists at UCLA created a chemical marker that binds to the abnormal proteins and they are able to view this with Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan. Researcher at UCLA, Gary Small explains, "Providing a non-invasive method for early detection is a critical first step in developing interventions to prevent symptom onset and progression in CTE". Post-Concussive Symptoms (PCS) is an area of recovery that is often not discussed. New evidence suggest that new recovery protocols have been recommended and designed to

title: Concussion
text: of control over cerebral blood flow. As the brain swells, intracranial pressure rapidly rises. The brain can herniate, and the brain stem can fail within five minutes. Except in boxing, all cases have occurred in athletes under age 20. Due to the very small number of documented cases, the diagnosis is controversial, and doubt exists about its validity. A 2010 "Pediatrics" review article stated that there is debate whether the brain swelling is due to two separate hits or to just one hit, but in either case, catastrophic football head injuries are three times more likely in high school athletes

title: Perception management
text: attention to treatment and to prevention. With a concussion, function may be interrupted but there is no structural damage to the brain, so the physical examination often appears normal. The American College of Sports Medicine estimates that 85% of sports-related concussions go undiagnosed because athletes deny or fail to report symptoms and because subtle changes in brain function may not be obvious on a single examination. This May new standards for concussion management that were realized, and stated that if an athlete was involved in a play where a concussion was possible (a direct blow to the head), the athlete

title: Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
text: prolonged post-concussion syndrome (PCS, where symptoms begin shortly after a concussion and last for weeks, months, and sometimes even years) and CTE symptoms can be difficult. Research studies are currently examining whether neuroimaging can detect subtle changes in axonal integrity and structural lesions that can occur in CTE. Recently, more progress in in-vivo diagnostic techniques for CTE has been made, using DTI, fMRI, MRI, and MRS imaging; however, more research needs to be done before any such techniques can be validated. PET tracers that bind specifically to tau protein are desired to aid diagnosis of CTE in living individuals. One

title: Concussions in sport
text: the brains of individuals who had sustained a clinically diagnosed concussion during the period of the study.” Many children and teenagers participate in sports and extracurricular activities that create a risk of a head injury or concussion, including basketball, cheerleading, soccer, and football. As a consequence, schools and youth sports groups should implement programs to reduce the risk of concussion, ensure prompt diagnosis and provision of medical care, and that young participants are not endangered by a premature return to sports. In 2010, more high school soccer players suffered concussions than basketball, baseball, wrestling, and softball players combined, according to

title: Concussions in Australian sport
text: is returning to school rather than the sporting field, as a concussion can affect a child's learning ability. A medical clearance is required before a return to school is possible and parents are recommended to properly manage their child through the first 72 hours after experiencing a concussion. Concussions in sport Concussions in Australian sport Head injuries in sports of any level (junior, amateur, professional) are the most dangerous and sickening kind of injuries that can occur in sport, and are becoming more common in Australian sport. Concussions are the most common side effect of a head injury and are

title: Concussions in American football
text: all screening procedures that examine football players for brain damage have been post mortem. In 2013, Gary Small and colleagues developed an in vivo chemical tracer that can detect tau protein build up in living players. Small and his team invented this new chemical tracer, 2-(1-{6-[(2-[F-18]fluoroethyl)(methyl)amino]-2-naphthyl}ethylidene)malononitrile, or FDDNP, that could be used in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans. This new tracer measures for tau protein and amyloid plaque accumulation in human brains; symptoms of repetitive brain trauma among other things. Although tracers have been developed to screen for the build-up of tau proteins in the human brain, FDDNP is the

title: Concussion
text: body mass size. The prognosis may differ between concussed adults and children; little research has been done on concussion in the pediatric population, but concern exists that severe concussions could interfere with brain development in children. A 2009 study found that individuals with a history of concussions might demonstrate a decline in both physical and mental performance for longer than 30 years. Compared to their peers with no history of brain trauma, sufferers of concussion exhibited effects including loss of episodic memory and reduced muscle speed. In post-concussion syndrome, symptoms do not resolve for weeks, months, or years after a

title: Concussion
text: "Head Impact Telemetry System" technology is being placed in helmets to study injury mechanisms and may generate knowledge that will potentially help reduce the risk of concussions among American Football players. Self-reported concussion rates among U-20 and elite rugby union players in Ireland are 45–48%. Half of these injuries go unreported. Changes to the rules or enforcing existing rules in sports, such as those against "head-down tackling", or "spearing", which is associated with a high injury rate, may also prevent concussions. After exclusion of neck injury, observation should be continued for several hours. If repeated vomiting, worsening headache, dizziness, seizure

title: Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
text: be definitively diagnosed by direct tissue examination after death, including full and immunohistochemical brain analyses. The lack of "in vivo" techniques to show distinct biomarkers for CTE is the reason CTE cannot currently be diagnosed while a person is alive. The only known diagnosis for CTE occurs by studying the brain tissue after death. Concussions are non-structural injuries and do not result in brain bleeding, which is why most concussions cannot be seen on routine neuroimaging tests such as CT or MRI. Acute concussion symptoms (those that occur shortly after an injury) should not be confused with CTE. Differentiating between