A multidisciplinary, symptom-targeted approach to rehabilitation in pediatric concussion

Concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury, is a common functional brain injury with heterogeneous symptoms affecting physical, cognitive, emotional, visual, vestibular, and autonomic domains. Although most children and adolescents recover within several weeks, a substantial minority develop persistent symptoms that interfere with school participation, physical activity, and quality of life....

✦ Clinical Takeaway ✦

Audiologists and vestibular rehabilitation specialists treating pediatric post-concussion patients should consider participating in or referring to multidisciplinary teams that use symptom-targeted protocols, particularly for vestibular symptoms.

✦ Why It Matters ✦

A symptom-targeted multidisciplinary model for pediatric concussion rehabilitation formalizes vestibular care as a core component, elevating the role of audiologists and vestibular physiotherapists in concussion management teams.

✦ Key Points ✦

01Multidisciplinary care addresses physical, cognitive, vestibular, and autonomic symptoms separately in pediatric concussion.
02Vestibular rehabilitation is explicitly identified as a component of the proposed framework.
03Symptom-targeted rehabilitation may shorten recovery and improve outcomes compared to rest-only approaches.
04Published in Seminars in Pediatric Neurology (2026).
05Directly relevant to audiologists offering vestibular assessment and rehabilitation services.

✦ Claims & Evidence ✦

ClaimEvidenceSupport

A multidisciplinary, symptom-targeted approach improves rehabilitation outcomes in pediatric concussion.

studypartially supported

Vestibular symptoms in pediatric concussion require targeted specialist intervention.

studysupported

Autonomic dysfunction is a distinct symptom domain requiring targeted rehabilitation in pediatric concussion.

studypartially supported

✦ Research metadata ✦

PMID: 42264876
DOI: 10.1016/j.spen.2026.101292.
Journal: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology
Publication type: review
Evidence level: 5
Population: Children and adolescents with concussion undergoing rehabilitation
Intervention: Multidisciplinary, symptom-targeted rehabilitation program

Primary outcomes

Recovery from physical symptoms post-concussion; Recovery from vestibular symptoms post-concussion; Recovery from cognitive and autonomic symptoms post-concussion

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