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Executive function outcomes of children with traumatic brain injury sustained before three years

Louise M Crowe1, Cathy Catroppa, Franz E Babl

  • 1Department of Psychological Science, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. louise.crowe@mcri.edu.au

Child Neuropsychology : a Journal on Normal and Abnormal Development in Childhood and Adolescence
|March 6, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Infants and young children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) show lasting deficits in attentional control. This study found impairments in executive function (EF) 3-4 years after TBI in children under three years old.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatric Medicine

Background:

  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of childhood disability.
  • Research on TBI outcomes primarily focuses on school-aged children, with limited data on infants and toddlers.
  • Executive function (EF) is crucial for cognitive development and daily functioning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of early-life TBI (before age 3) on executive function (EF) in young children.
  • To compare EF in children with mild TBI, moderate-severe TBI, and uninjured controls.
  • To assess attentional control, information processing, and parent-rated EF.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 55 children aged 3-6 years was studied, including 19 with mild TBI, 16 with moderate-severe TBI, and 20 controls.
  • Child-based assessments measured attentional control and information processing.
  • Parental questionnaires evaluated children's EF in daily life.

Main Results:

  • Children with TBI demonstrated significantly lower attentional control compared to the control group.
  • No significant differences were found in information processing or parent-rated EF between groups.
  • Deficits in attentional control were observed 3-4 years post-TBI.

Conclusions:

  • Early childhood TBI (before age 3) is associated with persistent impairments in attentional control.
  • These findings align with existing research on EF deficits in older children with TBI.
  • Early TBI may impact specific aspects of executive function, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

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