Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026
A Multi-Modal Approach to Assessing Recovery in Youth Athletes Following Concussion
Published on: September 25, 2014
Rehabilitation for children after acquired brain injury: current and emerging approaches
Anne L Gordon1, Annalisa di Maggio
1Department of Paediatric Neuroscience, Evelina Children's Hospital, King's Health Partners, London, United Kingdom. gordonanne@yahoo.co.uk
Insights
Children with acquired brain injuries face diverse, long-term disabilities, challenging the notion of better recovery in younger individuals. Research is exploring rehabilitation strategies for these complex pediatric neurological conditions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Neurorehabilitation
- Developmental Neuroscience
Background:
- Emerging evidence highlights diverse, chronic, and cumulative disabilities in children post-acquired brain injury (ABI).
- Recent studies challenge the traditional assumption that younger children exhibit superior recovery from brain injury compared to older children or adults.
- Populations with ABI in children include traumatic brain injury, stroke, and some cases of cerebral palsy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing and potential rehabilitation approaches for children with acquired brain injuries.
- To explore how understanding developing brain structure-function relationships can inform interventions.
- To address the limited evidence and controlled trials in pediatric neurological rehabilitation.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on rehabilitation approaches applied to adult stroke and cerebral palsy populations.
- Examination of rehabilitation strategies currently used or showing promise for children with ABIs.
- Analysis of studies investigating developing brain structure-function relationships in pediatric neurological conditions.
Main Results:
- The review identifies a range of rehabilitation approaches that have shown benefits in adult populations and may be applicable to children.
- Evidence for controlled rehabilitation trials specifically in children with neurological conditions remains limited.
- Subgroups within the pediatric ABI population offer potential insights into brain plasticity and recovery.
Conclusions:
- Acquired brain injuries in children can lead to complex, long-term disabilities requiring tailored rehabilitation.
- Rehabilitation strategies successful in adult stroke and cerebral palsy populations warrant investigation for pediatric ABIs.
- Further research and controlled trials are crucial to advance neurorehabilitation for children with acquired brain injuries.
Abstract:
Evidence is emerging of diverse, chronic, cumulative disabilities experienced by children in the months and years after acquired brain injury. The long-held assumption that younger children recover better from brain injury than older children or adults has been challenged by recent studies. Populations with acquired brain injury include children with traumatic brain injury and stroke, and a proportion of children with cerebral palsy. Although characteristics of brain injury in children vary, subgroups of this population offer the potential to inform our understanding of developing brain structure-function relationships in response to intervention. Limited evidence and few controlled rehabilitation trials exist regarding children with neurologic conditions. A number of rehabilitation approaches produced benefits in adult stroke, and cerebral palsy populations may be applied to children with other acquired brain injuries. Rehabilitation approaches that have been applied to children with acquired brain injuries, or hold promise for future applications, are reviewed.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Traumatic Brain Injury l: Introduction
01:01Neuroplasticity
01:14Spinal Cord Injury ll: Pathophysiology