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.

Emerging methods for measuring physical activity using accelerometry in children and adolescents with neuromotor disorders: a narrative review.

BACKGROUND: Children and adolescents with neuromotor disorders need regular physical activity to maintain optimal health and functional independence throughout their development. To this end, reliable measures of physical activity are integral to both assessing habitual physical activity and testing the efficacy of the many interventions designed to increase physical activity in these children. Wearable accelerometers have been used for children with neuromotor disorders for decades; however, studies most often use disorder-specific cut points to categorize physical activity intensity, which lack generalizability to a free-living environment. No reviews of accelerometer data processing methods have discussed the novel use of machine learning techniques for monitoring physical activity in children with neuromotor disorders. METHODS: In this narrative review, we discuss traditional measures of physical activity (including questionnaires and objective accelerometry measures), the limitations of standard analysis for accelerometry in this unique population, and the potential benefits of applying machine learning approaches. We also provide recommendations for using machine learning approaches to monitor physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: While wearable accelerometers provided a much-needed method to quantify physical activity, standard cut point analyses have limitations in children with neuromotor disorders. Machine learning models are a more robust method of analyzing accelerometer data in pediatric neuromotor disorders and using these methods over disorder-specific cut points is likely to improve accuracy of classifying both type and intensity of physical activity. Notably, there remains a critical need for further development of classifiers for children with more severe motor impairments, preschool aged children, and children in hospital settings.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met and neuropsychological functioning after early childhood traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the differential effect of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism on neuropsychological functioning in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) relative to orthopedic injury (OI). METHODS: Participants were drawn from a prospective, longitudinal study of children who sustained a TBI (n = 69) or OI (n = 72) between 3 and 7 years of age. Children completed a battery of neuropsychological measures targeting attention, memory, and executive functions at four timepoints spanning the immediate post-acute period to 18 months post-injury. Children also completed a comparable age-appropriate battery of measures approximately 7 years post-injury. Parents rated children's dysexecutive behaviors at all timepoints. RESULTS: Longitudinal mixed models revealed a significant allele status × injury group interaction with a medium effect size for verbal fluency. Cross-sectional models at 7 years post-injury revealed non-significant but medium effect sizes for the allele status x injury group interaction for fluid reasoning and immediate and delayed verbal memory. Post hoc stratified analyses revealed a consistent pattern of poorer neuropsychological functioning in Met carriers relative to Val/Val homozygotes in the TBI group, with small effect sizes; the opposite trend or no appreciable effect was observed in the OI group. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest a differential effect of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on verbal fluency, and possibly fluid reasoning and immediate and delayed verbal memory, in children with early TBI relative to OI. The Met allele-associated with reduced activity-dependent secretion of BDNF-may confer risk for poorer neuropsychological functioning in children with TBI.

Gross motor function prediction using natural language processing in cerebral palsy.

AIM: To predict ambulatory status and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels in patients with cerebral palsy (CP) by applying natural language processing (NLP) to electronic health record (EHR) clinical notes. METHOD: Individuals aged 8 to 26 years with a diagnosis of CP in the EHR between January 2009 and November 2020 (~12 years of data) were included in a cross-sectional retrospective cohort of 2483 patients. The cohort was divided into train-test and validation groups. Positive predictive value, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) were calculated for prediction of ambulatory status and GMFCS levels. RESULTS: The median age was 15 years (interquartile range 10-20 years) for the total cohort, with 56% being male and 75% White. The validation group resulted in 70% sensitivity, 88% specificity, 81% positive predictive value, and 0.89 AUC for predicting ambulatory status. NLP applied to the EHR differentiated between GMFCS levels I-II and III (15% sensitivity, 96% specificity, 46% positive predictive value, and 0.71 AUC); and IV and V (81% sensitivity, 51% specificity, 70% positive predictive value, and 0.75 AUC). INTERPRETATION: NLP applied to the EHR demonstrated excellent differentiation between ambulatory and non-ambulatory status, and good differentiation between GMFCS levels I-II and III, and IV and V. Clinical use of NLP may help to individualize functional characterization and management. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: Natural language processing (NLP) applied to the electronic health record (EHR) can predict ambulatory status in children with cerebral palsy (CP). NLP provides good prediction of Gross Motor Function Classification System level in children with CP using the EHR. NLP methods described could be integrated in an EHR system to provide real-time information.

Using Billing Codes to Create a Pediatric Functional Status e-Score for Children Receiving Inpatient Rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: Provide proof-of-concept for development of a Pediatric Functional Status eScore (PFSeS). Demonstrate that expert clinicians rank billing codes as relevant to patient functional status and identify the domains that codes inform in a way that reliably matches analytical modeling. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review, modified Delphi, and nominal group techniques. SETTING: Large, urban, quaternary care children's hospital in the Midwestern United States. PARTICIPANTS: Data from 1955 unique patients and 2029 hospital admissions (2000-2020); 12 expert consultants representing the continuum of rehabilitation care reviewed 2893 codes (procedural, diagnostic, pharmaceutical, durable medical equipment). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Consensus voting to determine whether codes were associated with functional status at discharge and, if so, what domains they informed (self-care, mobility, cognition/ communication). RESULTS: The top 250 and 500 codes identified by statistical modeling were mostly composed of codes selected by the consultant panel (78%-80% of the top 250 and 71%-78% of the top 500). The results provide evidence that clinical experts' selection of functionally meaningful codes corresponds with codes selected by statistical modeling as most strongly associated with WeeFIM domain scores. The top 5 codes most strongly related to functional independence ratings from a domain-specific assessment indicate clinically sensible relationships, further supporting the use of billing data in modeling to create a PFSeS. CONCLUSIONS: Development of a PFSeS that is predicated on billing data would improve researchers' ability to assess the functional status of children who receive inpatient rehabilitation care for a neurologic injury or illness. An expert clinician panel, representing the spectrum of medical and rehabilitative care, indicated that proposed statistical modeling identifies relevant codes mapped to 3 important domains: self-care, mobility, and cognition/communication.

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.

Return to School After Traumatic Brain Injury: Description of Implementation Settings.

OBJECTIVE: Children who experience traumatic brain injury (TBI) of any severity may need accommodations when they return to school-the setting that manages academic achievement and learning. However, variations exist in current return to school (RTS) programs that address a child's transition to school following TBI. This article describes some of these return to school (RTS) programs and how they vary by setting. DESIGN: This article provides insights from a modified evaluability assessment that examined RTS programs and their readiness for rigorous evaluation. A secondary analysis was conducted to better describe the types and location of programs examined. RESULTS: Differences exist in program structure, access, and how care for children is monitored over time. RTS programs that serve children following TBI are located in healthcare settings, schools, and state agencies and vary in models of care due to their location and organizational structure. CONCLUSIONS: Children who experience TBI benefit from a healthcare assessment and follow-up upon RTS that includes parental involvement. Models of care for this process vary based on program location and organizational structure. Further research and program evaluation are needed to better understand effectiveness and how to optimally monitor and care for children returning to school after a concussion or TBI.

Rest and exercise early after sport-related concussion: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To synthesise the evidence regarding the risks and benefits of physical activity (PA), prescribed aerobic exercise treatment, rest, cognitive activity and sleep during the first 14 days after sport-related concussion (SRC). DESIGN: Meta-analysis was performed for PA/prescribed exercise interventions and a narrative synthesis for rest, cognitive activity and sleep. Risk of bias (ROB) was determined using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network and quality assessed using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, Embase, APA PsycInfo, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL Plus and SPORTDiscus. Searches were conducted in October 2019 and updated in March 2022. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Original research articles with sport-related mechanism of injury in >50% of study sample and that evaluated how PA, prescribed exercise, rest, cognitive activity and/or sleep impact recovery following SRC. Reviews, conference proceedings, commentaries, editorials, case series, animal studies and articles published before 1 January 2001 were excluded. RESULTS: 46 studies were included and 34 had acceptable/low ROB. Prescribed exercise was assessed in 21 studies, PA in 15 studies (6 PA/exercise studies also assessed cognitive activity), 2 assessed cognitive activity only and 9 assessed sleep. In a meta-analysis of seven studies, PA and prescribed exercise improved recovery by a mean of -4.64 days (95% CI -6.69, -2.59). After SRC, early return to light PA (initial 2 days), prescribed aerobic exercise treatment (days 2-14) and reduced screen use (initial 2 days) safely facilitate recovery. Early prescribed aerobic exercise also reduces delayed recovery, and sleep disturbance is associated with slower recovery. CONCLUSION: Early PA, prescribed aerobic exercise and reduced screen time are beneficial following SRC. Strict physical rest until symptom resolution is not effective, and sleep disturbance impairs recovery after SRC. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020158928.

Usage Patterns of an mHealth Symptom Monitoring App Among Adolescents With Acute Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries.

OBJECTIVE: To understand usage patterns of SMART (Self-Monitoring Activity Regulation and Relaxation Treatment) mHealth app among adolescents with acute mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) and to identify individual characteristics that influenced app usage. SETTING: Emergency departments of tertiary care children's medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 11 to 18 years with mTBI in the past 2 weeks, English-speaking, no evidence of severe TBI, and no preexisting neurological impairment. DESIGN: Nested cohort of the intervention arm of a randomized clinical trial (n = 34). MHEALTH APP INTERVENTION: SMART was a month-long educational program on mTBI designed to promote self-monitoring and management of recovery. SMART included digital symptom and activity self-monitoring surveys, feedback on symptom changes, and 8 modules providing psychoeducation, strategies for symptom management, and training in active problem solving. MAIN MEASURES: App usage time, navigation, and interaction data were automatically collected. Usage involved inputting symptom ratings/activities and reviewing modules. Patterns of symptom/activity reporting and completion of learning modules data were analyzed. Predictors of app utilization, including individual characteristics, resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale), and coping (Coping Strategies Inventory-Short Form), were analyzed using Spearman correlations. RESULTS: Participants completed symptom monitoring an average of 9 days over the month. Participants completed an average of 1.87 learning modules out of 7. Parent income and education, comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and emotional engagement coping style predicted symptom monitoring. Parental income, comorbid ADHD, and greater reliance on emotional engagement coping predicted module completion. SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE EVENTS: None. CONCLUSION: Adolescents of higher socioeconomic status and those who manage their emotions using active engagement spent more time on both components of the SMART program.

Adolescent and Parent Perceptions of the Impact of Concussion/mTBI on Family Functioning and Activity Levels in Recovery.

OBJECTIVE: To explore adolescent and parent perceptions of the impact of a concussion/mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) on family functioning and activity levels in the first 4 weeks of recovery. SETTING: Outpatient research setting. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-seven adolescents (aged of 13-17 years) within 1 week of a concussion/mTBI and a parent/guardian were enrolled in the study. DESIGN: Prospective ecological study with qualitative, semistructured interviews. MAIN MEASURES: Adolescents reported symptoms electronically every 2 days for 28 days via the Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory. Semistructured interviews were completed with each adolescent-parent dyad at the end of the 28-day period. Interview questions focused on perceptions of recovery progress and study procedures. RESULTS: Symptom trajectories were variable across participants. Three main themes emerged from thematic analysis, including: (1) disruption of routines and activities, (2) injury management considerations, and (3) positive and negative influential factors (eg, school and coach support, timing of injury, and recovery expectations). Results highlighted nuances of recovery challenges that families specifically face and help emphasize the potential benefits of shared decision-making and where more guidance would be appreciated such as more specific self-management of symptoms and physical activity reintegration strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings support a shared decision-making approach with the identified themes as potential topics to help consider social and environmental influences on recovery. The themes presented in the results could be topics emphasized during intake and follow-up visit processes to help guide plans of care and return-to-activity decisions.

Electronic health record and patterns of care for children with cerebral palsy.

AIM: To characterize the patterns of care of children with cerebral palsy (CP) in a tertiary healthcare system. METHOD: Electronic health record data from 2009 to 2019 were extracted for children with CP. Machine learning hierarchical clustering was used to identify clusters of care. The ratio of in-person to care coordination visits was calculated for each specialty. RESULTS: The sample included 6369 children with CP (55.7% males, 44.3% females, 76.2% white, 94.7% non-Hispanic; with a mean age of 8y 2mo [SD 5y 10mo; range 0-21y; median 7y 1mo]) at the time of diagnosis. A total of 3.7 million in-person visits and care coordination notes were identified across 34 specialties. The duration of care averaged 5 years 5 months with five specialty interactions and 21.8 in-person visits per year per child. Seven clusters of care were identified, including: musculoskeletal and function; neurological; high-frequency/urgent care services; procedures; comorbid diagnoses; development and behavioral; and primary care. Network analysis showed shared membership among several clusters. INTERPRETATION: Coordination of care is a central element for children with CP. Medical informatics, machine learning, and big data approaches provide unique insights into care delivery to inform approaches to improve outcomes for children with CP. What this paper adds Seven primary clusters of care were identified: musculoskeletal and function; neurological; high-frequency/urgent care services; procedures; comorbid diagnoses; development and behavioral; and primary care. The in-person to care coordination visit ratio was 1:5 overall for healthcare encounters. Most interactions with care teams occur outside of in-person visits. The ratio of in-person to care coordination activities differ by specialty.

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.

Describing the Delivery of Evidence-Based Physical Therapy Intervention to Individuals With Cerebral Palsy.

PURPOSE: To characterize by evidence grades and examine variation in type of physical therapy intervention delivered in routine clinical care in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS: Retrospective data collection from the electronic record over 1 year at a tertiary care pediatric outpatient therapy division. RESULTS: Four hundred sixty-five individuals with CP received 28 344 interventions during 4335 treatment visits. Sixty-six percent of interventions were evidence-based interventions (EBIs). Significant variation was demonstrated across Gross Motor Function Classification System levels, with children classified as level V receiving the least and level III the most. The most frequent EBIs delivered were caregiver education, motor control, functional strengthening, ankle-foot orthoses, treadmill training, and fit of adaptive equipment. CONCLUSIONS: Further work is needed to determine whether amount of EBI is related to better outcomes. Combining this information with other aspects of dose (intensity, time, and frequency) may elucidate the contribution of each with outcomes.

From Early Childhood to Adolescence: Lessons About Traumatic Brain Injury From the Ohio Head Injury Outcomes Study.

OBJECTIVE: The Ohio Head Injury Outcomes study was a 12-year longitudinal study of early childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI). This article reviewed the findings pertaining to caregiver and family functioning and child cognition, behavior, social competence, emotional functioning, and academics. We further considered individual and social-environmental influences on recovery and interventions. SETTING: Recruitment was completed at 3 children's hospitals and 1 general hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 3 to 7 years at the time of injury with complicated mild to moderate and severe TBI or orthopedic injury requiring hospitalization were included. DESIGN: A concurrent cohort/prospective research design was used. A baseline assessment was completed shortly after the injury. Follow-up assessments were completed at 6, 12, and 18 months and at an average of 38 and 82 months postinjury. MAIN MEASURES: At baseline, parents/guardians completed retrospective ratings of their child's behavioral, emotional, and social functioning preinjury. At the subsequent assessments, ratings reflected current functioning. Information about current family and caregiver functioning was collected at each time point and cognitive testing was completed at selected time points. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Recovery after TBI is complex, varies over time, and involves injury-related and premorbid influences, cognition, genetics, and caregiver and family functioning. A sizable number of children with TBI have persisting unmet clinical needs.

Dopamine-Related Genes Moderate the Association Between Family Environment and Executive Function Following Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: An Exploratory Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether carrying dopamine-related "risk" genes-either the dopamine transporter (DAT1) 10-repeat allele or dopamine receptor-4 (DRD4) 7-repeat allele-moderated the association of family environment and executive function (EF) following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in early childhood. METHODS: Caregivers of children with TBI or orthopedic injury (OI) completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) at postinjury visits. General linear models examined gene by environment interactions as moderators of the effects of TBI on EF at 12 months and 7 years postinjury. RESULTS: At 12 months, we did not find any significant gene by environment interactions. At 7 years, we found a significant 3-way interaction among combined carrier status, level of permissive parenting, and injury type. For children exposed to more optimal parenting, carriers of DAT1 and/or DRD4 risk alleles with TBI showed significantly worse parent-reported EF than carriers with OI. In those with less optimal parenting, carriers and noncarriers with TBI, as well as carriers with OI, showed significantly worse parent-reported EF than noncarriers with OI, with medium to large effect sizes. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the importance of considering polygenetic and environmental factors in future studies of recovery following TBI and other injuries in childhood.

Behavior Problems Following Childhood TBI: The Role of Sex, Age, and Time Since Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the frequency of behavioral problems after childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their associations with injury severity, sex, and social environmental factors. SETTING: Children's hospitals in the Midwestern/Western United States. PARTICIPANTS: 381 boys and 210 girls with moderate (n = 359) and severe (n = 227) TBI, with an average age at injury of 11.7 years (range 0.3-18) who were injured ≤3 years ago. DESIGN: Secondary data analysis of a multistudy cohort. MAIN MEASURES: Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) administered pretreatment. RESULTS: Thirty-seven percent had borderline/clinical elevations on the CBCL Total Problem Scale, with comparable rates of Internalizing and Externalizing problems (33% and 31%, respectively). Less parental education was associated with higher rates of internalizing, externalizing, and total problems. Time since injury had a linear association with internalizing symptoms, with greater symptoms at longer postinjury intervals. Younger boys had significantly higher levels of oppositional defiant symptoms than girls, whereas older girls had significantly greater attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms than boys. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric TBI is associated with high rates of behavior problems, with lower socioeconomic status predicting substantially elevated risk. Associations of higher levels of internalizing symptoms with greater time since injury highlight the importance of tracking children over time.

Online Family Problem-Solving Therapy (F-PST) for Executive and Behavioral Dysfunction After Traumatic Brain Injury in Adolescents: A Randomized, Multicenter, Comparative Effectiveness Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the comparative effectiveness of 3 modes of family problem-solving therapy (F-PST): therapist-guided online, self-guided online, and face-to-face. SETTING: Four children's hospitals and a general hospital with pediatric commitment. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 150 adolescents aged 14 to 18 years, previously hospitalized with traumatic brain injury (TBI), and evidence of behavior problems at enrollment. DESIGN: Multicenter, randomized clinical trial. MAIN MEASURES: Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) Global Executive Composite (GEC), Behavior Regulation Index, and Metacognition Index, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Total at baseline and 6 and 9 months later. RESULTS: Mixed-model intention-to-treat analyses of comparative effectiveness failed to reveal statistically significant differences among treatment groups. At 6 months, parent BRIEF-GEC improved for the therapist-guided and self-guided, online groups. Effects remained significant and increased in magnitude at 9 months for the self-guided online group. Scores for the Self-guided online group significantly improved from baseline to 9 months on the SDQ Total. CONCLUSIONS: This comparative effectiveness study supports the utility of both self- and therapist-guided online F-PST in improving executive function behaviors in adolescents following TBI. Further work regarding clinical implementation and how best to integrate telehealth with ongoing rehabilitation care is warranted.

Impact of Secondary ADHD on Long-Term Outcomes After Early Childhood Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of secondary attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (SADHD) on long-term global and executive functioning in adolescents after traumatic brain injury (TBI). SETTING: Three tertiary cared children's hospitals and 1 general hospital. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred twenty children (TBI: n = 54; orthopedic injury: n = 66) without preinjury ADHD evaluated approximately 6.8 years postinjury. DESIGN: Cross-sectional data analysis from a prospective, longitudinal study. MAIN MEASURES: Outcomes included functional impairment (Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale) and executive functioning (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function [BRIEF]). RESULTS: SADHD moderated the association of injury type with the BRIEF-Behavioral Regulation Index (F1,113 = 4.42, P = .04) and the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (F1,112 = 8.95, P = .003). TBI was only associated with poorer outcomes in the context of SADHD. SADHD was also associated with poorer outcomes on the BRIEF-Global Executive Composite (F1,113 = 52.92, P < .0001) and BRIEF-Metacognitive Index scores (F1,113 = 48.64, P < .0001) across groups. Adolescents with TBI had greater BRIEF-Global Executive Composite scores than those with orthopedic injury (F1,113 = 5.00, P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Although SADHD was associated with poorer functioning across groups, its adverse effects on behavioral regulation and overall functioning were amplified following TBI. TBI + SADHD may confer an elevated risk for significant impairments in early adolescence.

Influence of Methylphenidate on Long-Term Neuropsychological and Everyday Executive Functioning After Traumatic Brain Injury in Children with Secondary Attention Problems.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of methylphenidate on long-term executive and neuropsychological functioning in children with attention problems following TBI, as well as the relationship between methylphenidate associated changes in lab-based neuropsychological measures of attentional control, processing speed, and executive functioning and parent- or self-report measures of everyday executive functioning. METHOD: 26 children aged 6-17 years, who were hospitalized for moderate-to-severe blunt head trauma 6 or more months previously, were recruited from a large children's hospital medical center. Participants were randomized into a double-masked, placebo-controlled cross-over clinical trial. Participants completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery and parent- and self-report ratings of everyday executive functioning at baseline, and at 4 weeks and 8 weeks following upward titration of medication to an optimal dose or while administered a placebo. RESULTS: Methylphenidate was associated with significant improvements in processing speed, sustained attention, and both lab-based and everyday executive functioning. Significant treatment-by-period interactions were found on a task of sustained attention. Participants who were randomized to the methylphenidate condition for the first treatment period demonstrated random or erratic responding, with slower and more variable response times when given placebo during the second period. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that methylphenidate treatment is associated with positive outcomes in processing speed, sustained attention, and both lab-based and everyday measures of executive functioning compared to placebo group. Additionally, results suggest sustained attention worsens when discontinuing medication. (JINS, 2019, 25, 740-749).

The Relationship of Adolescent and Parent Preferences for Treatment Modality With Satisfaction, Attrition, Adherence, and Efficacy: The Coping With Head Injury Through Problem-Solving (CHIPS) Study.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize treatment preferences for delivery of family problem-solving treatment (F-PST) to adolescents with behavioral challenges following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to examine associations with attrition, adherence, satisfaction, and efficacy. METHOD: Adolescents who had been hospitalized for moderate to severe TBI were randomized to face-to-face F-PST (n = 34), therapist-guided online F-PST (n = 56), and self-guided online F-PST (n = 60). Adolescents and parents rated treatment convenience and anticipated benefit before group assignment. Sessions completed served as an index of adherence. Satisfaction was rated posttreatment. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire were used to assess parent-reported behavioral concerns. RESULTS: Both parents and adolescents were more likely to agree or strongly agree that they anticipated self-guided online F-PST to be the most convenient relative to either of the therapist-involved approaches. Parents were also less likely to anticipate face-to-face treatment as most beneficial, relative to the two online treatments. Adolescent preferences were significantly related to attrition with 27% versus 13% dropout rates for those assigned to nonpreferred and preferred treatments, respectively. Parent and adolescent preferences before treatment were unrelated to post-intervention satisfaction, adherence, or improvements in parent-reported child behavior problems. CONCLUSIONS: Online treatments are perceived favorably among adolescents with TBI and their parents. For adolescents, these pretreatment preferences influenced treatment completion. Poor correspondence between initial preferences and posttreatment satisfaction and benefit suggests that therapeutic experience more strongly influences ultimate satisfaction.