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Functional performance of young children after traumatic brain injury: a 6-month follow-up study
W J Coster1, S Haley, M J Baryza
1Department of Occupational Therapy, Sargent College, Boston University, Massachusetts 02215.
Insights
Young children with brain injuries showed average functional performance, with family-reported impact correlating with behavior issues and caregiver needs. Early, systematic follow-up is crucial for at-risk children and their families.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Developmental psychology
- Family medicine
Background:
- Brain injuries in young children can impact development and family functioning.
- Understanding long-term outcomes requires systematic assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate functional outcomes in children aged 1 month to 5.6 years post-brain injury.
- To assess the impact of brain injury on family functioning.
- To compare outcomes with children experiencing non-central nervous system injuries.
Main Methods:
- Follow-up assessments at 1 and 6 months post-discharge.
- Standardized measures: Child Behavior Checklist, Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory, Impact on Family Scale.
- Comparison with a control group of children with non-CNS injuries.
Main Results:
- Children's mean scores remained within the average range at both follow-up points.
- A general trend of improved performance was observed, though not always statistically significant.
- Family-reported injury impact correlated with behavioral problems and caregiver assistance needs.
Conclusions:
- Systematic follow-up is essential for early identification of developmental risks in children post-brain injury.
- Support for families is vital, especially when children exhibit functional behavior changes.
- Sensitive outcome measures are needed for effective intervention planning.
Objectives:
A follow-up study is reported of 40 children between the ages of 1 month and 5.6 years who had sustained a brain injury either with (n = 11) or without (n = 29) additional injuries.
Method:
Children and their families were assessed at both 1 and 6 months after hospital discharge with standardized measures of functional performance and family functioning, including the Child Behavior Checklist, the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory, and the Impact on Family Scale. In addition to within-group analyses, functional outcome was compared to that of a group of 17 children who had sustained non-central nervous system injuries.
Results:
Mean scores for both groups of injured children were within the average range at both 1-month and 6-month follow-up testing. There was a general trend toward improved performance across the follow-up period, although only a few of these changes reached statistical significance. The effect of the injury as reported by the family was significantly associated with children's function as reflected by number of behavior problems and increased need for caregiver assistance.
Conclusion:
Results point to the need for systematic follow-up of young children after brain injury using sensitive measures to enable early identification of children whose further development may be at risk and to provide support to families whose children are displaying changes in functional behavior.