Summary / conclusions The SCAT is the most widely accepted and deployable sport concussion assessment and screening tool currently available .
There is some degree of support for using the SCAT2/SCAT3 and ChildSCAT3 in the evaluation of SRC , with and without baseline data .
The addition of an oculomotor examination seems indicated , although the most valid method for assessing oculomotor function is not clear .
Video-observable signs of concussion show promise , but there is insufficient evidence to warrant widespread use at this time
Objectives Several iterations of the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool ( SCAT ) have been published over the past 16 years .
Our goal was to systematic ally review the literature related to the SCAT and provide recommendations for improving the tool .
EFFECTS OF A SEASON OF SUBCONCUSSIVE CONTACT ON CHILD- SCAT3 SCORES IN 8-12 YEAR-OLD MALE ATHLETES.
BACKGROUND Each year , over 173,000 children and adolescents visit emergency departments due to sports and recreation related concussions , an increase of 60 % over the last decade due to the rise in the number of children participating in sport . While numerous authors have sought to address the epidemiology of concussions across multiple age groups who participate in contact sports , a recent review of literature did not reveal a substantial amount of published articles that addressed the issue of subconcussive contact . Multiple tools have been developed to assess acute episodes of concussion . Among the assessment protocol s many include an assessment of balance , short and long term memory recall , and balance . The Child-SCAT3 was design ed specifically to evaluate concussions in children 5 - 12 years of age . OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a season of subconcussive contact on  Child-SCAT3  scores in 8 - 12 year old males compared to their age matched peers who participated in non-contact sports .  A secondary purpose was to evaluate how scores of the sub- components of the Child-SCAT3 compare between contact and non-contact athletes . DESIGN A prospect i ve cohort study was performed of 71 male athletes ( 58 football , 13 baseball ) ages 8 - 12 ( contact mean age 10.30 years , SD 1.20 ; non-contact mean age 10.03 years , SD 1.26 ) over the course of a season . METHODS Portions of The Child-SCAT3 were administered and scored in pre-adolescent athletes prior to and following a season of participation in football ( contact sport group ) and baseball ( non-contact sport group ) . The outcome measures of interest included the portions related to Cognitive ability , Balance , and Coordination . RESULTS No statistically significant differences were found in group , time or time and group interaction for any of the utilized portions of the Child-SCAT3 . Statistically significant differences were found between groups for preseason cognitive orientation and postseason immediate memory . Cognitive orientation and coordination were also found to be statistically significantly improved across both groups over the course of the season . LIMITATIONS This study was potentially limited by the number of control subjects tested . CONCLUSIONS A season of subconcussive contact in football was not detrimental to cognitive and balance scores on the Child-SCAT3 . LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3
Summary / conclusions The SCAT is the most widely accepted and deployable sport concussion assessment and screening tool currently available .
There is some degree of support for using the SCAT2/SCAT3 and ChildSCAT3 in the evaluation of SRC , with and without baseline data .
The addition of an oculomotor examination seems indicated , although the most valid method for assessing oculomotor function is not clear .
Video-observable signs of concussion show promise , but there is insufficient evidence to warrant widespread use at this time
Objectives Several iterations of the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool ( SCAT ) have been published over the past 16 years .
Our goal was to systematic ally review the literature related to the SCAT and provide recommendations for improving the tool .