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Published on: January 20, 2023
Behavioral consequences of mild traumatic brain injury in preschoolers
Charlotte Gagner1, Catherine Landry-Roy1, Annie Bernier1
1Department of Psychology,University of Montreal,Montreal,Quebec,Canada.
Insights
Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) in preschoolers can lead to persistent behavioral problems like internalizing and externalizing behaviors. These issues were observed six months post-injury, highlighting the impact on developing brains.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Developmental psychology
- Childhood injury research
Background:
- Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of long-term disability globally.
- Behavioral impairments are common consequences of pediatric TBI, especially in early development.
- Preschool-aged children are particularly vulnerable to the long-term effects of TBI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate behavioral problems 6 months after mild TBI in preschool children (18-60 months old).
- To assess internalizing and externalizing behaviors in young children following mild TBI.
- To compare behavioral outcomes in children with mild TBI to typically developing and orthopedic-injured peers.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, longitudinal cohort study involving 229 preschool children.
- Participants categorized into mild TBI, typically developing, and orthopedic injury (OI) groups.
- Mothers completed the Child Behavior Checklist 6 months post-injury; demographic and pre-injury data collected.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in baseline characteristics or parental distress among groups.
- Mild TBI group exhibited higher ratings of internalizing and externalizing behaviors compared to controls.
- Pre-injury behavioral issues and maternal distress predicted post-injury outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Mild TBI in preschoolers can cause significant brain disruption, leading to lasting behavioral changes.
- Behavioral impairments may persist for several months after even mild TBI in young children.
- Early TBI impacts brain development, manifesting as behavioral issues in preschool-aged children.
Background:
Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of long-term disability in children and adolescents worldwide. Amongst the wide array of consequences known to occur after pediatric TBI, behavioral impairments are among the most widespread and may particularly affect children who sustain injury early in the course of development. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems 6 months after preschool (i.e. 18-60 months old) mild TBI.
Methods:
This work is part of a prospective, longitudinal cohort study of preschool TBI. Participants (N = 229) were recruited to one of three groups: children with mild TBI, typically developing children and orthopedic injured (OI) children. Mothers of children in all three groups completed the Child Behavior Checklist as a measure of behavioral outcomes 6-month post-injury. Demographics, injury-related characteristics, level of parental distress, and estimates of pre-injury behavioral problems were also documented.
Results:
The three groups did not differ on baseline characteristics (e.g. demographics and pre-injury behavioral problems for the mild TBI and OI groups) and level of parental distress. Mothers' ratings of internalizing and externalizing behaviors were higher in the mild TBI group compared with the two control groups. Pre-injury behavioral problems and maternal distress were found to be significant predictors of outcome.
Conclusion:
Our results show that even in its mildest form, preschool TBI may cause disruption to the immature brain serious enough to result in behavioral changes, which persist for several months post-injury.
