Traumatic Brain Injury Affects Kids for Years

Michael Phelan

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According to two studies just published by the American Psycological Association, children who suffer traumatic brain injuries can experience lasting or late-appearing neuropsychological problems. These finding highlight the importance of careful monitoring of brain damaged children over time.

One study found that some child victims of TBI may recover academically but then start acting up or having problems with daily functioning, while other children do surprisingly well for no apparent reasons. The second study noted a snowball effect where children with severe TBI fell farther and farther behind their peers than one would normally expect.

For the severe TBI population studied, 60% had problems in at least one area one year post-injury and 40% had problems four years post-injury. Severe brain injuries to young children pose a double hazard because young children still have more brain development ahead of them. The human brain is not fully developed until some time around seven years of age. These studies highlight the need for targeted treatment developed specifically for young children with brain damage.