MILD HEAD-INJURY IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS - A REVIEW OF STUDIES (1970-1995)

In this article, the authors provide a comprehensive review of the res earch of mild head injury in children and adolescents from 1970 to 199 5. Because of marked variability in methodologies across studies, a pr eliminary box-score tally was computed, without regard to studies' sci entific or methodological merit. These results revealed 13 adverse, Is null, and I) indeterminate findings related to neuropsychological, ac ademic, or psychosocial outcome. When studies were classified based on methodological merit, the stronger studies were generally associated with null outcomes across domains. However, a few of the less stronger neuropsychological studies (5 of 40) reported subthreshold and transi tory alterations during the early postinjury period. At the present ti me, cautious acceptance of the null hypothesis is recommended until mo re definitive studies are conducted that address the problems raised i n this review.