Head Control Contributes to Prediction of Emergence From the Minimally Conscious State in Children Admitted to Inpatient Rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the utility of head and trunk control, assessed using the Physical Abilities and Mobility Scale, for predicting emergence from a minimally conscious state (eMCS) among children with acquired brain injury admitted to inpatient rehabilitation in a disorder of consciousness (DoC). DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Pediatric inpatient rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Forty patients (2-21 years-old) directly admitted from acute care to pediatric inpatient brain injury rehabilitation in a DoC (average length of stay=85 days; N=40). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: State of consciousness (eMCS vs not) at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. RESULTS: Forty-five percent of patients emerged from a minimally conscious state during inpatient rehabilitation. Admission state of consciousness and head control (but not trunk control) were significantly associated with eMCS and provided complementary prognostic information. Admission state of consciousness (ie, admitting in a vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome) afforded the greatest negative predictive value (93.8%), whereas admission head control ability afforded the greatest positive predictive value (81.8% for any independent head control; 100% for maintaining head-up position for >30 seconds). Fifty percent of patients who emerged during the inpatient stay did not have independent head control at admission, highlighting the importance of exploring head control as a prognostic marker in conjunction with indicators with greater sensitivity (eg, state of consciousness at admission). CONCLUSIONS: A brief measure of head control at admission may contribute to identification of a subgroup of patients who are likely to emerge.

Screening for Delirium During Pediatric Brain Injury Rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: To assess feasibility of routine delirium screening using the Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium (CAPD) in children admitted for rehabilitation with acquired brain injury (ABI), report on the prevalence of positive delirium screens in this population, and explore longitudinal trends in CAPD scores and their association with rehabilitation outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Pediatric inpatient rehabilitation unit. PARTICIPANTS: 144 children (median 10.8 years) with ABI (N=144). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Percent compliance with twice daily delirium screening; prevalence of positive delirium screens; trajectories in CAPD scores and their relation with FIM for Children (WeeFIM) scores. RESULTS: Screening was feasible (mean 75% compliance for each of 144 children). Of 16,136 delirium screens, 29% were positive. 62% of children had ≥1 positive screen. Four primary patterns of CAPD trajectories were identified: Static Encephalopathy (10%), Episodic Delirium (10%), Improving (32%), and No Delirium (48%). Validity of these trajectories was demonstrated through association with WeeFIM and CALS outcomes. Younger age at admission was associated with positive delirium screens, and rehabilitation length of stay was significantly longer for the Improving group. CONCLUSIONS: Delirium occurs frequently in children with ABI during inpatient rehabilitation. Routine delirium screening provides clinically relevant information including the potential to facilitate early detection and intervention for medical complications. Longitudinal ratings of delirium symptoms may also have a role in developing a standardized definition for Post Traumatic Confusional State (PTCS) stage of recovery in children.

The Use of Methylphenidate During Inpatient Rehabilitation After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: Population Characteristics and Prescribing Patterns.

OBJECTIVE: To understand how methylphenidate (MPH) is used in youth with traumatic brain injury (TBI) during inpatient pediatric rehabilitation. SETTING: Inpatient pediatric rehabilitation. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 234 children with TBI; 62 of whom received MPH and 172 who did not. Patients were on average 11.6 years of age (range, 2 months to 21 years); 88 of 234 were female; the most common mechanism of injury was motor vehicle collision (49%); median (IQR) acute hospital length of stay (LOS) and inpatient rehabilitation LOS were 16 (10-29) and 23 (14-39), respectively; 51 of 234 were in a disorder of consciousness cognitive state at time of inpatient rehabilitation admission. DESIGN: Multicenter, retrospective medical record review. MAIN MEASURES: Patient demographic data, time to inpatient pediatric rehabilitation admission (TTA), cognitive state, MPH dosing (mg/kg/day). RESULTS: Patients who received MPH were older (P = .011); TTA was significantly longer in patients who received MPH than those who did not (P =.002). The lowest recorded dose range by weight was 0.05 to 0.89 mg/kg/d, representing an 18-fold difference; the weight-based range for the maximum dose was 0.11 to 0.97 mg/kg/d, a 9-fold difference. Patients in lower cognitive states at admission (P = .001) and at discharge (P = .030) were more likely to receive MPH. Five patients had side effects known to be associated with MPH; no serious adverse events were reported. CONCLUSION: This multicenter study indicates that there is variable use of MPH during acute inpatient rehabilitation for children with TBI. Children who receive MPH tend to be older with lower cognitive states. Dosing practices are likely consistent with underdosing. Clinical indications for MPH use during inpatient pediatric rehabilitation should be better defined. The use of MPH, as well as its combination with other medications and treatments, during inpatient rehabilitation needs to be further explored.

Caregiver and family functioning after pediatric disorder of consciousness: telephone-based outcome assessment.

OBJECTIVE: Examine initial feasibility/utility of a telephone-administered measure in describing impact of child health on caregiver/family functioning in patients with a history of a disorder of consciousness (DoC) due to severe-acquired brain injury (ABI). METHOD: Caregivers of patients admitted at least 1 year prior for inpatient rehabilitation with DoC completed a battery of measures administered via telephone examining the impact of child health on caregiver/family functioning (Pediatric Quality of Life Family Impact Module; PedsQL-FIM) and child functioning. RESULTS: Forty-one caregivers of unique patients (age = 5-22 years; M = 14.9, SD = 5.1; 63% male; time since injury = 1-18 years; M = 5.3; SD = 4.2) completed the telephone measures. PedsQL-FIM floor and ceiling effects were minimal (administration time = 5-16 min, M = 7.4; SD = 2.8). Family functioning was lowest in Daily Activities and highest in Family Relationships. Relative to caregivers of patients with mild-severe ABI, caregivers reported lower caregiver/family functioning. Correlations were moderate between child functioning and caregiver/family functioning on some PedsQL-FIM scales. CONCLUSIONS: Within this relatively small convenience sample, results indicate the PedsQL-FIM administered via telephone is feasible and useful in describing the impact of child health on caregiver/family functioning long after DoC associated with ABI. Future studies are needed to understand factors contributing to caregiver/family functioning to inform targeted interventions.

Rethinking recovery in adolescent concussions: Network-level functional connectivity alterations associated with motor deficits.

Adolescents who are clinically recovered from concussion continue to show subtle motor impairment on neurophysiological and behavioral measures. However, there is limited information on brain-behavior relationships of persistent motor impairment following clinical recovery from concussion. We examined the relationship between subtle motor performance and functional connectivity of the brain in adolescents with a history of concussion, status post-symptom resolution, and subjective return to baseline. Participants included 27 adolescents who were clinically recovered from concussion and 29 never-concussed, typically developing controls (10-17 years); all participants were examined using the Physical and Neurologic Examination of Subtle Signs (PANESS). Functional connectivity between the default mode network (DMN) or dorsal attention network (DAN) and regions of interest within the motor network was assessed using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI). Compared to controls, adolescents clinically recovered from concussion showed greater subtle motor deficits as evaluated by the PANESS and increased connectivity between the DMN and left lateral premotor cortex. DMN to left lateral premotor cortex connectivity was significantly correlated with the total PANESS score, with more atypical connectivity associated with more motor abnormalities. This suggests that altered functional connectivity of the brain may underlie subtle motor deficits in adolescents who have clinically recovered from concussion. More investigation is required to understand the persistence and longer-term clinical relevance of altered functional connectivity and associated subtle motor deficits to inform whether functional connectivity may serve as an important biomarker related to longer-term outcomes after clinical recovery from concussion.

Outcome Measurement in Children With a History of Disorders of Consciousness After Severe Brain Injury: Telephone Administration of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Third Edition, and Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended Pediatric Revision.

OBJECTIVES: Examine initial feasibility and utility of a battery of measures administered via telephone interview with a caregiver for describing long-term outcomes in individuals with a history of disorders of consciousness (DoC) after pediatric acquired brain injury (ABI). DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Caregiver interview administered via telephone. PATIENTS: Convenience sample admitted to an inpatient pediatric neurorehabilitation unit with DoC after ABI at least 1 year prior to assessment (n = 41, 5-22 yr old at assessment). INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Third Edition (Vineland-3), and Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended Pediatric Revision (GOS-E Peds) were examined. Administration time of the Vineland-3 ranged from 13 to 101 minutes (m = 50) and the GOS-E Peds ranged from 2 to 10 minutes (m = 3). Vineland-3 Adaptive Behavior Composite (ABC) ranged from standard scores (SSs) of 20 (exceptionally low) to 100 (average) and GOS-E Peds scores ranged from 3 (i.e., upper moderate disability) to 7 (vegetative state). Lower adaptive functioning on the Vineland-3 ABC was strongly associated with greater disability on the GOS-E Peds (r = -0.805). On the Vineland-3 ABC, 19.5% earned the lowest possible score, whereas 12.2% obtained the lowest possible score for survivors on the GOS-E Peds; only 7.3% earned lowest scores on both measures. CONCLUSIONS: The Vineland-3 and GOS-E Peds were feasibly administered by telephone and were complementary in this cohort; the GOS-E provided a quick and easy measure of gross functional outcome, whereas the Vineland-3 took longer to administer but provided a greater level of detail about functioning. When both measures were used together, the range and variability of scores were maximized.

Functional Recovery During Inpatient Rehabilitation in Children With Anoxic or Hypoxic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVES: To (1) describe characteristics of children with anoxic or hypoxic brain injuries (AnHBI) who presented to an inpatient rehabilitation unit, (2) explore functional outcomes of children with AnHBI at discharge, and (3) examine differences between children with AnHBI associated with cardiac arrest (CA) vs those with respiratory arrest (RA) only. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Pediatric inpatient rehabilitation hospital in the Northeast United States. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 46 children and adolescents ages 11 months to 18 years admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation brain injury unit (1994-2018) for a first inpatient admission after AnHBI. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category Scale (PCPC), Pediatric Overall Performance Category, and Functional Independence Measure for Children developmental functional quotients (WeeFIM DFQs) total and subscale scores. RESULTS: Most children had no disability before injury (PCPC=normal, n=37/46) and displayed significant functional impairments at admission to inpatient rehabilitation (PCPC=normal/mild, n=1/46). WeeFIM and PCPC scores improved significantly during inpatient rehabilitation (WeeFIM DFQ Total, P=.003; PCPC, P<.001), although many children continued to demonstrate significant impairments at discharge (PCPC=normal/mild, n=5/46). Functioning was better for the RA-only group relative to the CA group at admission (WeeFIM DFQ Total, P=.006) and discharge (WeeFIM DFQ Total, P<.001). Ongoing gains in functioning were noted 3 months after discharge compared with discharge (WeeFIM DFQ Cognitive, P=.008). CONCLUSIONS: In this group of children with AnHBI who received inpatient rehabilitation, functional status improves significantly between rehabilitation admission and discharge. By discharge, many children continued to display significant impairments, a minority of children had favorable neurologic outcomes, and children with CA have worse outcomes than those with RA-only. Given the small sample size, future research should examine functional recovery during inpatient rehabilitation in a larger, multisite cohort and include longer-term follow-up to examine recovery patterns over time.

Traumatic Brain Injury Positive Strategies for Families: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of an Online Parent-Training Program.

OBJECTIVE: To determine program satisfaction and preliminary efficacy of Traumatic Brain Injury Positive Strategies (TIPS), a web-based training for parenting strategies after child brain injury. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial with parallel assignment to TIPS intervention or usual-care control (TAU). The three testing time-points were pretest, posttest within 30 days of assignment, and 3-month follow-up. Reported in accordance with CONSORT extensions to randomized feasibility and pilot trials SETTING: Online. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-three volunteers recruited nationally who were 18 years of age or older, U.S. residents, English speaking and reading, had access to high-speed internet, and were living with and caring for a child who was hospitalized overnight with a brain injury (ages 3-18 years, able to follow simple commands; N=83). INTERVENTIONS: Eight interactive behavioral training modules on parent strategies. The usual-care control was an informational website. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The proximal outcomes were User Satisfaction, Usefulness, Usability, Feature Preference, Strategy Utilization and Effectiveness, and Learning and Self-Efficacy for TIPS program participants. The primary outcomes were: Strategy Knowledge, Application, and Strategy-Application Confidence; Family Impact Module of Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL); and Caregiver Self-Efficacy Scale. The secondary outcomes were TIPS vs TCore PedsQL and Health Behavior Inventory (HBI) RESULTS: Pre- and posttest assessments were completed by 76 of 83 caregivers; 74 completed their 3-month follow-up. Linear growth models indicated that relative to TAU, TIPS yielded greater increases in Strategy Knowledge over the 3-month study (d=.61). Other comparisons did not reach significance. Outcomes were not moderated by child age, SES, or disability severity measured by Cognitive Function Module of PedsQL. All TIPS participants were satisfied with the program. CONCLUSIONS: Of the 10 outcomes tested, only TBI knowledge significantly improved relative to TAU.

The American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine Diagnostic Criteria for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To develop new diagnostic criteria for mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) that are appropriate for use across the lifespan and in sports, civilian trauma, and military settings. DESIGN: Rapid evidence reviews on 12 clinical questions and Delphi method for expert consensus. PARTICIPANTS: The Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine Brain Injury Special Interest Group convened a Working Group of 17 members and an external interdisciplinary expert panel of 32 clinician-scientists. Public stakeholder feedback was analyzed from 68 individuals and 23 organizations. RESULTS: The first 2 Delphi votes asked the expert panel to rate their agreement with both the diagnostic criteria for mild TBI and the supporting evidence statements. In the first round, 10 of 12 evidence statements reached consensus agreement. Revised evidence statements underwent a second round of expert panel voting, where consensus was achieved for all. For the diagnostic criteria, the final agreement rate, after the third vote, was 90.7%. Public stakeholder feedback was incorporated into the diagnostic criteria revision prior to the third expert panel vote. A terminology question was added to the third round of Delphi voting, where 30 of 32 (93.8%) expert panel members agreed that 'the diagnostic label 'concussion' may be used interchangeably with 'mild TBI' when neuroimaging is normal or not clinically indicated.' CONCLUSIONS: New diagnostic criteria for mild TBI were developed through an evidence review and expert consensus process. Having unified diagnostic criteria for mild TBI can improve the quality and consistency of mild TBI research and clinical care.

Rasch Properties of the Cognitive and Linguistic Scale and Optimization for Outcome Trajectory Modeling in Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVES: To (1) determine if items on the Cognitive and Linguistic Scale (CALS) follow a Rasch distribution and (2) explore the relationship between Rasch-derived Cognitive Ability Estimates and outcome trajectory parameters using a nonlinear mixed-effects modeling approach. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Pediatric inpatient rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 252 children (N=252) aged of 2-21 years (median, 11.8 [IQR, 6.4-15.9] years) consecutively admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation brain injury unit (2008-2014) for a first inpatient admission after acquired brain injury. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Rasch-derived Cognitive Ability Estimates from the CALS and associated outcome trajectory parameters. RESULTS: The CALS demonstrates adequate interval-scale properties with removal of scores from the arousal and responsivity items. Rasch-derived Cognitive Ability Estimates were associated with age (ß=0.025, P<.001) such that older age was associated with a faster rate of recovery and more complete ultimate recovery. Slower recovery initiation was associated with a less complete overall cognitive recovery (Spearman ρ=-0.31; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: The Cognitive Ability Estimates derived from the CALS and associated outcome parameters (eg, rate of recovery) may serve as an ideal outcome measure for clinical trials evaluating interventions for acquired brain injury in a pediatric rehabilitation setting.

Prescribing Patterns of Amantadine During Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Multicentered Retrospective Review From the Pediatric Brain Injury Consortium.

OBJECTIVES: To describe dosing practices for amantadine hydrochloride and related adverse effects among children and young adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) admitted to pediatric inpatient rehabilitation units. SETTING: Eight pediatric acute inpatient rehabilitation units located throughout the United States comprising the Pediatric Brain Injury Consortium. PARTICIPANTS: Two-hundred thirty-four children and young adults aged 2 months to 21 years with TBI. DESIGN: Retrospective data revie. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic variables associated with the use of amantadine, amantadine dose, and reported adverse effects. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients (21%) aged 0.9 to 20 years received amantadine during inpatient rehabilitation. Forty-five percent of patients admitted to inpatient rehabilitation with a disorder of consciousness (DoC) were treated with amantadine, while 14% of children admitted with higher levels of functioning received amantadine. Children with DoC who were not treated with amantadine were younger than those with DoC who received amantadine (median 3.0 vs 11.6 years, P = .008). Recorded doses of amantadine ranged from 0.7 to 13.5 mg/kg/d; the highest total daily dose was 400 mg/d. Adverse effects were reported in 8 patients (16%); nausea/abdominal discomfort and agitation were most common, each reported in 3 patients. The highest reported dose without an adverse effect was 10.1 mg/kg/d. CONCLUSION: During pediatric inpatient rehabilitation, amantadine was prescribed to children across a range of ages and injury severity and was most commonly prescribed to older children with DoC. Dosing varied widely, with weight-based dosing for younger/smaller children at both lower and higher doses than what had been previously reported. Prospective studies are needed to characterize the safety and tolerability of higher amantadine doses and optimize amantadine dosing parameters for children with TBI.

Altered white matter diffusivity and subtle motor function in a pilot cohort of adolescents with sports-related concussion.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Adolescents with sports-related concussion (SRC) demonstrate acute and persistent deficits in subtle motor function. However, there is limited research examining related neurological underpinnings. This pilot study examined changes in motor-associated white matter pathways using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and their relationship with subtle motor function. METHODS: Twelve adolescents with SRC (12-17 years) within two-weeks post-injury and 13 never-injured neurotypical peers completed DTI scanning. A subset of 6 adolescents with SRC returned for a follow-up visit post-medical clearance from concussion. Subtle motor function was evaluated using the Physical and Neurological Examination of Subtle Signs (PANESS). RESULTS: Adolescents with SRC showed higher mean diffusivity (MD) of the superior corona radiata and greater subtle motor deficits compared to controls. Across all participants, greater subtle motor deficits were associated with higher (more atypical) MD of the superior corona radiata. Preliminary longitudinal analysis indicated reduction in fractional anisotropy of the corpus callosum but no change in the MD of the superior corona radiata from the initial visit to the follow-up visit post-medical clearance. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support preliminary evidence for a brain-behavior relationship between superior corona radiata microstructure and subtle motor deficits in adolescents with SRC that merits further investigation.

Thirty-Second Single-Leg Stance Identifies Impaired Postural Control in Children After Concussion: A Preliminary Report.

CONTEXT: Objective and expedient assessments of standing postural control incorporating static and dynamic tasks are necessary for identifying subtle motor deficits and clearing children to return to high-risk activities after concussion. The Revised Physical and Neurological Examination for Subtle Signs (PANESS) gaits and stations tasks evaluate both static and dynamic aspects of postural control. While the PANESS gaits and stations subscale is sensitive to concussion in youth, the benefit of each specific task for this purpose is unknown. PURPOSE: This study evaluated whether specific PANESS tasks identify postural impairments after youth concussion. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Academicallyaffiliated research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty youth, ages 10-17 years, comprised 3 groups: (1) youth symptomatic from concussion (4-14 d postinjury [n = 18]), (2) clinically-recovered youth (27-122 d postinjury [n = 15]), and (3) age- and gender-matched never-concussed controls (n = 27). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: PANESS gaits and stations tasks (6 dynamic and 3 static) at the time of the initial research visit. RESULTS: Kruskal-Wallis statistic identified a significant main effect of group on standing on one foot (a 30-s task). Both symptomatic and clinically-recovered youth showed deficits on standing on one foot relative to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Single-leg tasks of longer duration may maximize the ability to detect residual postural deficits after concussion and can be readily incorporated in targeted sport rehabilitation protocols.

P-COSCA (Pediatric Core Outcome Set for Cardiac Arrest) in Children: An Advisory Statement From the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation.

Studies of pediatric cardiac arrest use inconsistent outcomes, including return of spontaneous circulation and short-term survival, and basic assessments of functional and neurological status. In 2018, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation sponsored the COSCA initiative (Core Outcome Set After Cardiac Arrest) to improve consistency in reported outcomes of clinical trials of adult cardiac arrest survivors and supported this P-COSCA initiative (Pediatric COSCA). The P-COSCA Steering Committee generated a list of potential survival, life impact, and economic impact outcomes and assessment time points that were prioritized by a multidisciplinary group of healthcare providers, researchers, and parents/caregivers of children who survived cardiac arrest. Then expert panel discussions achieved consensus on the core outcomes, the methods to measure those core outcomes, and the timing of the measurements. The P-COSCA includes assessment of survival, brain function, cognitive function, physical function, and basic daily life skills. Survival and brain function are assessed at discharge or 30 days (or both if possible) and between 6 and 12 months after arrest. Cognitive function, physical function, and basic daily life skills are assessed between 6 and 12 months after cardiac arrest. Because many children have prearrest comorbidities, the P-COSCA also includes documentation of baseline (ie, prearrest) brain function and calculation of changes after cardiac arrest. Supplementary outcomes of survival, brain function, cognitive function, physical function, and basic daily life skills are assessed at 3 months and beyond 1 year after cardiac arrest if resources are available.

Very Long-Term Outcomes in Children Admitted in a Disorder of Consciousness After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate functional outcomes and state of consciousness at 1 year and ≥2 years postinjury in children who sustained a traumatic brain injury and were in a disorder of consciousness (DOC), either vegetative state (VS) or minimally conscious state (MCS), upon admission to inpatient rehabilitation. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Pediatric inpatient rehabilitation unit. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 2-18 years (N=37) who were admitted to inpatient rehabilitation with admission scores <30 on the Cognitive and Linguistic Scale (CALS). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Glasgow Outcome Scale- Extended, Pediatric Revision (GOS-E Peds), and state of consciousness based on previously established guidelines. RESULTS: At admission, 16 children were in VS (43.2%) and 21 (56.8%) were in MCS. Children admitted in VS had a significantly longer time from injury to inpatient rehabilitation admission, lower CALS admission scores, were more likely to be in a DOC ≥28 days, and had greater disability at both follow-up time points. At the 1-year follow-up, 3 patients were in VS, 7 were in MCS, and 27 had emerged from MCS. By the time of the most recent follow-up (≥2y), 2 more patients had emerged from MCS. Across the cohort, GOS-E Peds scores at 1 year ranged from VS (GOS-E Peds, 7) to upper moderate disability (GOS-E Peds, 3). Most patients were functioning in the lower severe disability category (GOS-E Peds, 6) at 1 year (43.2%) and at the time of the most recent follow-up (43.2%). Twenty-seven patients (73.0%) showed stable GOS-E Peds scores between the 2 time points, 6 (16.2%) improved, and 4 (10.8%) were deceased. CONCLUSIONS: Although a majority of patients emerged from a DOC by 1 year postinjury, most continued to demonstrate notable functional impairment at the 1-year follow-up that persisted to the most recent follow-up. A small subset demonstrated important improvements between 1 year and the most recent follow-up (2 patients emerged, 6 patients showed improvement in GOS-E Peds scores).

Functional Gains in Children Receiving Inpatient Rehabilitation After Brain Tumor Resection.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether children with brain tumors treated with resection benefit from inpatient rehabilitation and to explore what factors present at admission may predict better functional outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort design. SETTING: Pediatric inpatient rehabilitation unit. PARTICIPANTS: Forty patients (N=40; ages 3-21y; 42.5% female) admitted to the rehabilitation unit between 2003 and 2015 after brain tumor resection. INTERVENTIONS: Patients received multidisciplinary rehabilitation therapies as part of their admission to inpatient rehabilitation, including occupational, physical, and speech-language therapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Functional outcomes included the FIM for Children (WeeFIM) at discharge and 3-month follow-up as well as WeeFIM efficiency. RESULTS: A repeated-measures analysis of variance using patient WeeFIM Developmental Functional Quotients (DFQs) at admission, discharge, and 3-month follow-up showed significant gains in total WeeFIM DFQ scores across time. Admission WeeFIM DFQ, time from surgery to admission, and age at admission provided the strongest model for predicting discharge and 3-month follow-up WeeFIM DFQ scores. Admission WeeFIM DFQ and time from surgery to admission provided the strongest model for predicting WeeFIM efficiency. Total Neurological Predictor Scale (NPS) at admission did not add predictive power to any of the 3 models over and above patient characteristics (admission WeeFIM DFQ, age at admission, time from surgery to admission). CONCLUSIONS: Patients admitted to inpatient rehabilitation after brain tumor resection made significant functional gains (as measured by the WeeFIM) during inpatient rehabilitation and continued to make significant gains 3 months after discharge. Age and timing of admission provided the strongest models for predicting patient outcomes. The NPS did not predict functional outcomes after rehabilitation when controlling for other variables known to influence rehabilitation outcomes.

Cognitive Recovery During Inpatient Rehabilitation Following Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pediatric Brain Injury Consortium Study.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize the demographics, clinical course, and predictors of cognitive recovery among children and young adults receiving inpatient rehabilitation following pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: Retrospective observational, multicenter study. SETTING: Eight acute pediatric inpatient rehabilitation facilities in the United States with specialized programs for treating patients with TBI. PARTICIPANTS: Children and young adults (0-21 years) with TBI (n = 234) receiving inpatient rehabilitation. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Admission and discharge status assessed by the WeeFIM Cognitive Developmental Functional Quotient (DFQ) and Cognitive and Linguistic Scale (CALS). RESULTS: Patients admitted to pediatric inpatient rehabilitation are diverse in cognitive functioning. While the majority of patients make improvements, cognitive recovery is constrained for those admitted with the most severe cognitive impairments. Age, time since injury to rehabilitation admission, and admission WeeFIM Cognitive DFQ are significant predictors of cognitive functioning at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: This work establishes a multicenter Pediatric Brain Injury Consortium and characterized the demographics and clinical course of cognitive recovery during inpatient rehabilitation of pediatric patients with TBI to aid in prospective study design.

Clinical Features of Disorders of Consciousness in Young Children.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate behavioral and demographic features of levels of consciousness in young children with brain injury, including the classifications of consciousness: conscious state (CS), minimally conscious state (MCS), and vegetative state (VS), and to investigate the course of recovery in children with disorders of consciousness (DOC). DESIGN: Retrospective chart review and post hoc analysis. SETTING: Pediatric inpatient rehabilitation unit. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 6 months to 5 years (N=54) admitted for inpatient rehabilitation directly from an acute care hospital following new neurologic injury from 2011 to 2016. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinically abstracted behavioral features of DOC and levels of consciousness at admission and discharge, based on established guidelines from the Aspen Neurobehavioral Conference Workgroup. RESULTS: Children in MCS were younger than children in CS. Commonly observed behaviors in children in VS were mouth movements or vocalizations, flexion withdrawal or motor posturing, visual or auditory startle, and localization to sound. Common features of MCS were contingent affect, visual fixation or pursuit, automatic motor behavior, and contingent communicative intent. No children in MCS showed command following or intelligible verbalizations. All children in CS showed functional object use, while functional communication was observed in a subset. By discharge, more than half of children in VS emerged to MCS, and a third emerged from MCS to CS. No child emerged from VS to CS. CONCLUSIONS: Visual and motor skills may be most applicable, and language-based skills may be least applicable for the assessment of DOC in very young children. Accurate classifications of consciousness may have important prognostic implications, and additional research is needed to develop clear guidelines for assessment of DOC in this population.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Pediatric Motor Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically examine the safety and effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) interventions in pediatric motor disorders. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINAHL, Web of Science, and ProQuest databases were searched from inception to August 2018. STUDY SELECTION: tDCS randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies, conference proceedings, and dissertations in pediatric motor disorders were included. Two authors independently screened articles based on predefined inclusion criteria. DATA EXTRACTION: Data related to participant demographics, intervention, and outcomes were extracted by 2 authors. Quality assessment was independently performed by 2 authors. DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 23 studies involving a total of 391 participants were included. There was no difference in dropout rates between active (1 of 144) and sham (1 of 144) tDCS groups, risk difference 0.0, 95% confidence interval (-.05 to .04). Across studies, the most common adverse effects in the active group were tingling (17.2%), discomfort (8.02%), itching (6.79%), and skin redness (4%). Across 3 studies in children with cerebral palsy, tDCS significantly improved gait velocity (MD=.23; 95% confidence interval [0.13-0.34]; P<.0005), stride length (MD=0.10; 95% confidence interval [0.05-0.15]; P<.0005), and cadence (MD=15.7; 95% confidence interval [9.72-21.68]; P<.0005). Mixed effects were found on balance, upper extremity function, and overflow movements in dystonia. CONCLUSION: Based on the studies reviewed, tDCS is a safe technique in pediatric motor disorders and may improve some gait measures and involuntary movements. Research to date in pediatric motor disorders shows limited effectiveness in improving balance and upper extremity function. tDCS may serve as a potential adjunct to pediatric rehabilitation; to better understand if tDCS is beneficial for pediatric motor disorders, more well-designed RCTs are needed.

Strengthening the Evidence Base: Recommendations for Future Research Identified Through the Development of CDC's Pediatric Mild TBI Guideline.

OBJECTIVE: The recently published Centers for Disease Control and Prevention evidence-based guideline on pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) was developed following an extensive review of the scientific literature. Through this review, experts identified limitations in existing pediatric mTBI research related to study setting and generalizability, mechanism of injury and age of cohorts studied, choice of control groups, confounding, measurement issues, reporting of results, and specific study design considerations. This report summarizes those limitations and provides a framework for optimizing the future quality of research conduct and reporting. RESULTS: Specific recommendations are provided related to diagnostic accuracy, population screening, prognostic accuracy, and therapeutic interventions. CONCLUSION: Incorporation of the recommended approaches will increase the yield of eligible research for inclusion in future systematic reviews and guidelines for pediatric mTBI.