Examining a Statewide Educational Consulting Program for Pediatric Brain Injury

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Educational Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Acquired brain injury (ABI) significantly impacts student learning and development.
• Educational consultation programs are vital for supporting students with ABI.
• Understanding student characteristics and program activities is crucial for optimizing support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the characteristics of students with ABI in a statewide educational consultation program.
• To analyze the support activities provided by the program.
• To identify areas for improving program utilization and effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive analysis of deidentified data from a statewide brain injury school consultation program.
• Categorization of students by medical diagnosis: concussion/mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), moderate-severe TBI, and non-TBI.
• Analysis of referral characteristics, educational placement, and program team time allocation.

Main Results:

• 70% of students were referred for concussion/mild TBI; medical professional referrals were infrequent.
• Recreational injuries were most common for students with concussion/mild TBI (59%).
• Road traffic injuries were common for students with moderate/severe TBI (48%).
• Program team time was primarily spent on consultation with school personnel (24%), family communication (20%), and school personnel communication (16%).

Conclusions:

• The program effectively addresses communication and coordination needs among students, families, and educators.
• Opportunities exist to enhance program utilization, particularly regarding medical referrals.
• Improved collaboration can optimize educational outcomes for students with acquired brain injuries.