The effect of traumatic brain injury on children with learning disability

The psychometric performance of 10 children with a history of learning disability (LD) who subsequently experienced a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) was evaluated. Compared to premorbid data, children with LD experienced, after TBI, a statistically significant decline on a measure of psychometric intelligence, whereas their performance on measures of academic achievement remained stable. On specific neuropsychological measures, children with LD and TBI did not differ significantly post-injury from matched controls who also had TBI but no prior history of LD. It is concluded that moderate to severe TBI can cause significant additional cognitive impairment in children with LD, and that periodic modifications in the academic curriculum of these children are often needed after injury. Comparison of premorbid and postmorbid psychometric test data is crucial in this respect.