Long-Term Recovery in Paediatric Head Injury: Overcoming the Hurdles

Despite recovery in the majority of children with severe traumatic brain injury to premorbid levels of function on traditional tests of intellectual and language functions, recent evidence indicates that deficits may persist or even emerge at later developmental stages. Unfortunately, children with severe brain injury often are not followed long term and consequently do not receive the necessary services at later stages of recovery for a variety of reasons. This article presents a case study to delineate some of the frequent yet remediable obstacles faced by children with brain injury, their families, and school personnel. Possible solutions to improve the situation are offered. This case is also presented to illustrate the promise of discourse methods in assessing and treating the unique cognitive-linguistic sequelae of paediatric brain injured populations.