Traumatic Brain Injuries in Kids Can Lead to Long-Term Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Traumatic brain injury in kids can lead to an increased risk of neurological and psychiatric disorders, finds a new study.

Traumatic brain injury experienced by children can put them at greater risk of developing headache, depression, and intellectual or mental disorders up to five years after the event, reports a new study. The findings of the study are presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2018 National Conference & Exhibition.

Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children, and rates of injury have increased over the past decade.

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‘Kids who experience traumatic brain injury are at higher risk of developing a neuropsychiatric disorder. Though primary prevention is very important, early recognition and education are essential to ensure the best possible outcome for these children.’
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For the study abstract, "Long-term Outcomes Following Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in Children," researchers obtained diagnostic codes from medical records in the Military Health System Data Repository to analyze clinical data on children.

They compared patients diagnosed with traumatic brain injury to those who suffered orthopedic injury, matching patients by age, gender, and injury severity score.

In the study population, 55 percent had a mild injury severity score, 41 percent had moderate injury severity score, and 4 percent had severe injury severity score. Among children who sustained a traumatic brain injury, 39 percent of children developed neuropsychiatric symptoms as follows:

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Headaches - 15 percent
Mental disorder - 15 percent
Intellectual disability - 13 percent
Depression/anxiety - 5 percent
Seizure - 4 percent
Brain damage - 4 percent

Researchers found that 16 percent of children who experienced orthopedic injury also developed neuropsychiatric symptoms including:

Intellectual disability - 8 percent
Mental disorder - 4 percent
Depression/anxiety - 3 percent
Headaches - 2 percent
Seizure - less than 1 percent
Brain damage - less than 1 percent

"With the incidence of concussion and traumatic brain injury rising in this nation's children, it is vital that we continue to evaluate mechanisms for prevention and treatment," said Lindsey Armstrong, MD MPH, critical surgical care and research fellow, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass. "These data provide evidence to support close monitoring of injured children, even years after the event"

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Researchers examined how injuries affected children up to five years later. They found that only 59 percent of children with a traumatic brain injury could expect to be symptom-free in 5 years, versus 80 percent of those with orthopedic injuries.

"While primary prevention is most important, early recognition and education are essential to ensure the best possible outcome for these children," Armstrong said.

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"Neuropsychiatric diagnosis following traumatic brain injury can cause impairment in cognitive function thus affected children may experience difficulty in school or with personal relationships. It's our hope that data we are presenting will help clinicians identify children at increased risk, resulting in improved follow-up and care."

Source-Eurekalert