Early childhood traumatic brain injuries: effects on development and interventions

Many childhood disabilities are attributed to traumatic brain injuries (TBI). This study compared developmental outcomes (communication, gross motor, problem-solving, and personal social domain) between children with mild, complicated mild/moderate and severe TBI (n=123) versus those who had orthopedic surgery (OI; n=45) over 36 months post-injury.
At post-injury status, there was no difference in developmental outcomes between children with mild or complicated mild/moderate TBI and those with OI across the Ages & Stages Questionnaire-3. Children with severe TBI performed poorly for all developmental areas with little progress of recovery over time.
According to the authors, children with severe TBI face greater challenges with development after injury. Early childhood intervention is necessary to support young survivors and their families post-injury.