Child SCAT6 for Ages 5–12

Why a separate tool?

Cognitive and balance norms shift dramatically through middle childhood. A 7-year-old’s working memory and tandem gait steadiness are not comparable to a 14-year-old’s. The Child SCAT6 adjusts the symptom language, the cognitive tasks, and the developmental expectations so the test is meaningful for ages 5 to 12.

What changes from the adult SCAT6

• Child-friendly symptom items — short, developmentally appropriate language for self-report, plus a parent/guardian symptom report.
• Adapted cognitive tasks — shorter word lists, simpler digit spans, and age-appropriate orientation questions.
• Modified balance expectations — mBESS scoring allows for greater age-related sway.
• Parent/guardian involvement— built into the workflow, since younger athletes can’t always self-report symptoms accurately.

How HQ handles age-aware testing

When you create a baseline link in HQ, you set the age range for the team. The platform automatically selects the correct battery — Child SCAT6 for ages 5–12, SCAT6 for ages 13+ — and adjusts the symptom language, cognitive content, and parent/guardian flow accordingly.

When younger athletes really need a baseline

Youth football, soccer, lacrosse, ice hockey, and competitive cheer all carry meaningful concussion exposure. The earlier you start collecting baselines, the more data you have when an incident eventually happens. There is no “too young” for this conversation.