Return to school after brain injury

Abstract

Aims: To examine return to school and classroom performance following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods: This cross-sectional study set in the community comprised a group of 67 school-age children with TBI (35 mild, 13 moderate, 19 severe) and 14 uninjured matched controls. Parents and children were interviewed and children assessed at a mean of 2 years post injury. Teachers reported on academic performance and educational needs. The main measures used were classroom performance, the Children's Memory Scale (CMS), the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-third edition UK (WISC-III) and the Weschler Objective Reading Dimensions (WORD). Results: One third of teachers were unaware of the TBI. On return to school, special arrangements were made for 18 children (27%). Special educational needs were identified for 16 (24%), but only six children (9%) received specialist help. Two thirds of children with TBI had difficulties with school work, half had attention/concentration problems and 26 (39%) had memory problems. Compared to other pupils in the class, one third of children with TBI were performing below average. On the CMS, one third of the severe group were impaired/borderline for immediate and delayed recall of verbal material, and over one quarter were impaired/borderline for general memory. Children in the severe group had a mean full-scale IQ significantly lower than controls. Half the TBI group had a reading age >1 year below their chronological age, one third were reading >2 years below their chronological age. Conclusions: Schools rely on parents to inform them about a TBI, and rarely receive information on possible long-term sequelae. At hospital discharge, health professionals should provide schools with information about TBI and possible long-term impairments, so that children returning to school receive appropriate support.

Professionals’ views on the use of smartphone technology to support children and adolescents with memory impairment due to acquired brain injury

“…Prospective memory impairment is one of the most common sequelae of brain injury and can have a debilitating effect on the lives of young people with brain injury [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Research has suggested that using smartphones as compensatory aids can help to improve functioning in children and adolescents [1,18,20].…”

“…Memory impairment can interfere with learning and access to education, everyday adaptive functioning and social participation [5][6][7][8][9]. Thus, interventions targeted at improving prospective memory are often employed in cognitive rehabilitation, via remedial or compensatory strategies [10].…”

Les perceptions d’adolescents cérébrolésés, de leurs parents et des professionnels impliqués dans leur inclusion sociale

“…Enfin, les enregistrements et les documents écrits sont conservés sous clé puis seront détruits une fois que le délai de conservation légal exigé sera expiré. (Colantonio et al, 1998;Friedman et al, 1999;Hawley et al, 2004;Laloua, 2006;Light, McCleary, Asarnow, Satz, Zaucha et Lewis, 1998;Thompson et Irby, 2003). Que ce soit d'ordres neuropsychologique et psychique (Bourque, 2000;Hanks et al, 1999), cognitif (Khan et al, 2003;Shanmukhi et Panigrahi, 2003) Différents auteurs le rapportent, lorsqu'un TCC survient à cet âge, celui-ci aura de nombreux impacts sur la maîtrise des fonctions exécutives et le développement de l'identité, de l'estime de soi ainsi que de la confiance (Alvin, 2005;Bourque, 2000;Cimon et al, 2000;Laloua, 2006).…”

“…Or il appert que peu d'études se sont intéressées spécifiquement à l'inclusion sociale des adolescents dans le contexte d'un TCC modéré (Colantonio et al, 1998;Hawley, Ward, Magnay et Mychalkiw, 2004;Khan et al, 2003). Bien que certaines études aient, par ailleurs, traité des adolescents souffrant d'un autre problème de santé, par exemple le cancer, l'asthme ou la fibrose kystique, celles-ci ne faisaient pas état de leur inclusion sociale, mais plutôt de leurs difficultés ainsi que de leurs besoins en matière de services et de soins de santé (Esmond, 2000;Hollis et Morgan, 2001;Ishibashi, 2001;Kari, Donovan, Li et Taylor, 1999;Whelan, 2003).…”

A systematic review of pediatric cognitive rehabilitation in the elementary and middle school systems

“…Slomine and Locascio (2009) recommended that interventions for cognitive deficits need to be integrated into children's classroom experience. However, Hawley et al (2004) pointed out that there is often a lack of communication between schools and caregivers regarding the extent of a TBI survivor's injury and his/her prognosis, which limits successful re-integration (Hawley et al, 2004). Caregivers and school personnel need to collaborate concerning the child's abilities and limitations, in order to develop an appropriate academic program.…”