Concussions that are associated with vestibular abnormalities like dizziness, vertigo or imbalance are more likely to last longer and have more neurocognitive issues.
Dr. Corwin and colleagues from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia analyzed 247 children with confirmed concussion for vestibular abnormalities against recovery time, cognitive deficits and number of previous concussions.
What they found was that the presence of any vestibular issue was associated with a prolonged recovery time by a factor of 3. It is also associated with lower cognitive scores. Previous history of depression and anxiety was also an association with delayed recovery. They also noted that children with more than three recorded concussions all had vestibular issues at the most resent visit for a concussion.
Take home point: The more concussions you have the worse the prognosis. Any dizziness, imbalance or vertigo should prompt the parent and provider to pause and make the recovery period methodical and slow.
Dr. M
