Functional recovery ten years after pediatric traumatic brain injury: outcomes and predictors

Functional impairments (adaptive, behavioral, educational) are common after preschool traumatic brain injury (TBI). In comparison with cognitive outcome, functional outcomes have received limited attention, with little evidence to determine whether these difficulties persist in the long term. The aim of this study was to examine functional outcomes at 10 years post-injury and identify predictors of outcome. The study compared children with a diagnosis of TBI (n=40) to a healthy age-, gender-, and socioeconomic status (SES)-matched control group (n=19) at 10 years post-injury. Outcomes and predictors of functional skills were investigated. Poorer adaptive skills were evident for those with more severe injury. Behavioral difficulties were present regardless of injury severity. Post-injury, arithmetic skills were the most compromised in the longer term. Pre-injury status, interventions accessed, and acute intellectual function were significant predictors of outcome. These results highlight the importance of monitoring functional skills in the long term, especially for those children presenting with risk factors.