ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the reliability of the Abbreviated Westmead Post-traumatic Amnesia Scale (A-WPTAS) in children by examining the impact of age on A-WPTAS performance. METHODS: Participants were typically developing patients with minor illnesses or injuries and/or accompanying siblings aged 5-10 years, attending a children's hospital ED. Exclusion criteria included: (i) a recent traumatic brain injury; (ii) developmental disability; (iii) recent drug administration judged to impact cognition; and/or (iv) non-English speaking background. The A-WPTAS was administered on two occasions separated by approximately 60 min. Logistic regression was used to determine the odds of passing based on age. RESULTS: A total of 125 children completed the A-WPTAS assessments. A-WPTAS pass rates were 36% for 5 year olds, 68% for 6 year olds, and exceeded 90% for 7-10 year olds. Compared with 9 year olds, 5 year olds had significantly lower odds of passing (P = 0.003), a trend that persisted for 6 year olds (P = 0.052). Among 5 and 6 year olds, failure was predominantly due to difficulty with temporo-spatial orientation items. CONCLUSIONS: The A-WPTAS is reliable for use in children aged 7 years and older, while its use in children aged 6 years and under results in an unsatisfactory high false positive rate, limiting its clinical utility. The adult-level performance of children aged 7 years onwards provides strong support for using the tool in the early management of these children with mild traumatic brain injury in Australian EDs.
