Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2025
Controlled Cortical Impact Model for Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: August 5, 2014
Return to School After Traumatic Brain Injury: Description of Implementation Settings
Juliet Haarbauer-Krupa1, Sally Thigpen, Ann Glang
1Division of Injury Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (Dr Haarbauer-Krupa and Ms Thigpen); University of Oregon, Eugene (Dr Glang); BrainSTEPS Brain Injury School Consulting Program in Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh (Dr Eagan-Johnson); Brain Injury Educational Consulting Colorado LLC, Fort Collins (Dr McAvoy); Lincoln Public Schools and the Nebraska State Department of Education, Lincoln (Ms Brunken); Sports Medicine and Concussion Institute Community Outreach and Education Northside Hospital, Duluth, Georgia (Ms Chininis); Division of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics and Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio (Dr Kurowski); Kennedy Krieger Institute and Departments of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr Suskauer); National Association of State Head Injury Administrators, Alabaster, Alabama (Ms Crowley); and Brain Links, Tennessee Disability Coalition, Nashville (Ms Denslow).
Children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) need school accommodations. Return to school (RTS) programs vary in structure and location, impacting care for students with TBI.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Educational psychology
- Rehabilitation medicine
Background:
- Children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) require specific accommodations for academic success upon returning to school.
- Existing return to school (RTS) programs exhibit significant variability in structure and implementation.
- The transition back to school after TBI is a critical phase impacting a child's learning and development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the variations in current return to school (RTS) programs for children following TBI.
- To analyze the readiness of RTS programs for rigorous evaluation.
- To characterize the types and locations of examined RTS programs.
Main Methods:
- Modified evaluability assessment of RTS programs.
- Secondary analysis to describe program types and locations.
- Examination of program structure, access, and patient monitoring.
Main Results:
- RTS programs differ in structure, accessibility, and patient monitoring.
- Programs are situated in diverse settings including healthcare, schools, and state agencies.
- Models of care vary significantly based on program location and organizational framework.
Conclusions:
- Children with TBI benefit from healthcare assessment, follow-up, and parental involvement during RTS.
- Care models are influenced by program location and organizational structure.
- Further research and evaluation are essential to optimize care for students returning to school after TBI or concussion.
