I had not seen the SCAT2 before. It is an interesting system. It has some egregious errors. It suggests return to play with contact sports as soon as 5 days after a concussion. It could be very helpful if adjusted for return to play.

The memory test is a limited version of the MMSE.

As Nancys said, remembering the words is different than many of the day to day memory needs. The delayed memory is most likely the best indicator.

Memory is a very complicated function to evaluate. The word tests only evaluate auditory memory. There is a need to include a visual memory test.

Adding some background noise and visual distractions can enhance the value of such a test. Distractability is a very common symptom of PCS.

t97tab,

Were you present during the neurological evaluation? Did the doctor do the memory tests? besides the words to repeat right away and after three minutes, there is also a test where the subject is to count backwards from 100 by 7's. 100, 93, 86, 79 ....

It is not uncommon for the memory test to not be done, even by neurologists.

You can observe your daughter to see if she has more difficulty with auditory memory or visual memory. My auditory memory is at the bottom 5% of the population and my visual memory is at the 12% level.

It is also common for neurologists to ask about the level of impact force that was endured. They mistakenly try to rule out a concussion or continuing concussion symptoms based on a belief that the impact force was not severe enough. Studies show that severity of impact does not directly relate to ongoing symptoms. If there was no Loss Of Consciousness, not post traumatic amnesia, and a low impact force, then there was not a concussion.

Dr Julian Bailes in Virginia has coined a term, sub-concussive force. This is a concussion with minor force and minor immediate symptoms but prolonged or delayed concussion symptoms. He believes many concussions go unreported due to setting high standards of immediate symptoms of a concussion.

Also, a common problem is diagnosing subjects with high intelligence. This allows them to appear to be high functioning even though they have serious cognitive dysfunctions. Studies show that a big differential between tested intelligence and memory functions indicates an organic problem (physical trauma). A psychological problem will usually effect both the memory and intelligence scores at a somewhat equal level.

Be patient. You need to look for a better doctor to help with diagnosis. A neuro-psychological assessment may be a good indicator if you can find a neuro-psychologist who has good skills with concussion.

My best to you as you struggle with her diagnosis.