Focused Review Course: Pediatric Rehabilitation-Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Dr. Laura Black discusses pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its epidemiology. The majority of TBI cases in children are mild, with falls and motor vehicle crashes being the most common causes. Dr. Black explains the primary injury from TBI, which includes skull fractures, contusions, and shearing injuries. Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is a common type of TBI that is difficult to detect on CT scans but can be imaged using MRI. Secondary injuries, such as cerebral edema and hypoxic injury, also occur and are managed by reducing intracranial pressure and managing seizures. Dr. Black highlights the physiological vulnerabilities in young children, including weak neck muscles and incomplete myelination, making them more susceptible to brain injury. She also discusses non-accidental trauma (NAT), which has higher mortality rates and is often associated with delayed care. Dr. Black explains the imaging findings and mechanisms of injury associated with NAT. She also discusses prognostic factors, such as hypoxic injuries, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and post-traumatic amnesia. Complications of TBI in children include autonomic dysfunction, post-traumatic epilepsy, agitation, cognitive and academic impairments, and pediatric stroke. Rehabilitation interventions, such as constraint-induced movement therapy and gait training, are used in the management of TBI in children.

Keywords

pediatric traumatic brain injury

TBI epidemiology

skull fractures

diffuse axonal injury

cerebral edema

non-accidental trauma

rehabilitation interventions