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Persistent Changes in Child Behavior After Early Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Charlotte Gagner1,2, Fanny Dégeilh1,2, Annie Bernier1
1Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Insights
Children experiencing mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in early childhood show persistent internalizing and externalizing behavioral symptoms for at least 30 months. These early-life injuries can lead to long-lasting behavioral changes requiring clinical attention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Developmental psychology
- Child psychiatry
Background:
- Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in early childhood can impact neurodevelopment.
- Behavioral symptoms are common sequelae of pediatric brain injuries.
- Longitudinal data on behavioral changes post-mTBI in preschoolers is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document longitudinal changes in internalizing and externalizing behavioral symptoms after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) sustained between 18 and 60 months of age.
- To compare behavioral trajectories in children with mTBI to typically developing and orthopedic-injured peers.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study involving 226 children divided into three groups: mTBI, typically developing, and orthopedic injury.
- Behavioral symptoms assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist at 6, 18, and 30 months post-injury.
- Linear mixed-model analyses examined group differences in the trajectory of behavioral symptoms over 30 months.
Main Results:
- Children with mTBI exhibited higher rates of internalizing and externalizing behavioral symptoms at baseline, persisting up to 30 months post-injury.
- For up to 18 months post-injury, children with mTBI showed significantly more borderline or clinical range behavioral difficulties than control groups.
- These behavioral symptoms indicate a potential need for clinical intervention in preschool-aged children following mTBI.
Conclusions:
- Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in early childhood is associated with enduring behavioral changes lasting at least 30 months.
- The persistence of these symptoms suggests a complex interaction between neurological and non-neurological factors.
- Early identification and intervention for behavioral difficulties following pediatric mTBI are crucial.
Objective:
To document longitudinal changes in internalizing and externalizing behavioral symptoms after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) sustained in early childhood (i.e., between 18 and 60 months of age).
Methods:
Participants (N = 226) were recruited to one of three groups: children with mTBI, typically developing children and orthopedic injured children. The Child Behavior Checklist was used to document the presence of internalizing and externalizing behaviors at 6, 18, and 30 months postinjury. Linear mixed-model analyses were used to examine group effects on the trajectory of internalizing and externalizing behavioral manifestations over 30 months postinjury.
Results:
Children who sustain mTBI during the preschool period have higher rates of internalizing and externalizing behavioral symptoms at the initial assessment time point and these symptoms persist up to 30 months postinjury. Moreover, results indicate that for up to 18 months postinjury, significantly more children with mTBI present behavioral difficulties that may require some form of clinical attention (i.e., scores in the borderline or clinical range), than do their orthopedically injured and noninjured peers.
Conclusions:
Sustaining mTBI early in life may lead to long-lasting behavioral changes in young children (i.e., at least 30 months). These changes are likely the product of a complex interplay between neurological and non-neurological factors, both contributing to generating and maintaining behavioral difficulties.
