Recovery and predictors of language skills two years following pediatric traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Subtle language processing difficulties may adversely affect scholastic performance, as well as communication and social skills. It is therefore crucial that language skills are monitored following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in childhood. The present study examined language skills in a group of 68 children who had sustained a mild, moderate or severe TBI. Results indicated that during the acute stage a dose–response relationship was evident, where severe TBI was associated with poorest performance and mild TBI with least deficits. By 24 months post-TBI, it was clear that for some language functions, the severe TBI group showed substantial recovery, and at times performed better than the moderate TBI group. Predictors of language and literacy skills at 24 months post TBI included pre-injury communication skills, socio-economic status, age at injury, and Vocabulary, as measured by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-111).