A prospective study of short- and long-term outcomes after traumatic brain injury in children: Behavior and achievement.

TLDR

The study followed 53 severe, 56 moderate TBI children and 80 orthopedic controls, assessing preinjury status and postinjury achievement skills at baseline and three follow‑ups over an average 4‑year period. Mixed‑model analysis showed persistent TBI sequelae, with math recovery only in severe TBI children from less stressed families, and social disadvantage predicting worse behavioral outcomes, indicating long‑term effects on behavior and achievement moderated by family environment.

Abstract

Longitudinal behavior and achievement outcomes of traumatic brain injury (TBI) were investigated in 53 children with severe TBI, 56 children with moderate TBI, and 80 children with orthopedic injuries not involving brain insult. Measures of preinjury child and family status and of postinjury achievement skills were administered shortly after injury. Assessments were repeated 3 times across a mean follow-up interval of 4 years. Results from mixed model analysis revealed persisting sequelae of TBI. Recovery of math skills was observed in the severe TBI group but only for children from less stressed families. Social disadvantage in children with TBI predicted more adverse behavioral sequelae and less favorable changes in some outcome measures. The findings suggest that pediatric TBI has long-term effects on behavior and achievement but that postinjury progress is influenced by the family environment.