Cathy Catroppa

Murdoch Children's Research Institute

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Vicki Anderson

Royal Children's Hospital

174

Celia Godfrey

Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Miriam H. Beauchamp

Université de Montréal

Nicholas P. Ryan

Deakin University

Stephen Hearps

Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Louise Crossley

Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld

Loma Linda University

Keith Owen Yeates

University of Calgary

Edith Botchway

Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Flora Haritou

Royal Children's Hospital

Cooperative Institutions

Murdoch Children's Research Institute

106

University of Melbourne

Royal Children's Hospital

Monash University

University of Sydney

Australian Psychological Society

The Alfred Hospital

Children's Hospital at Westmead

Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute

Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico

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Outcome From Mild Head Injury in Young Children: A Prospective Study

Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology (2001)

V. Anderson Cathy Catroppa Sue Morse Flora Haritou Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld

Abstract There is a lack of agreement regarding the long-term consequences of mild head injury (HI) at any age, with such effects rarely studied in early childhood. Given the rapid development occurring within the brain during this period, any disruption may have the potential to cause transient or permanent damage to brain structure and function. The present study sought to investigate the behavioral implications of such potential disruptions using a prospective, longitudinal design. Children aged 3-7 years at the time of injury, and suffering from mild HI, were evaluated acutely and at 6 and 30 months post-injury. Pre-injury data were collected with respect to communication, social skills, daily living skills and behavioral function. Results were compared to those from a non-injured control sample matched for age, gender, socioeconomic status, and pre-injury function. Findings showed few group differences. Children with mild HI performed similarly to controls on measures of intellectual ability, receptive language, and both everyday and spatial memory capacity. Group differences were identified for verbal fluency and story recall, with HI children failing to recover over time.

10.1076/jcen.23.6.705.1015

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Citations (123)

Educational skills: Long-term outcome and predictors following paediatric traumatic brain injury

Neuropsychological Rehabilitation (2009)

Cathy Catroppa Vicki Anderson Frank Muscara Sue Morse Flora Haritou

Given that reading, spelling and arithmetic skills are acquired through childhood, their development may be compromised following a childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI). The present study examined educational skills (reading accuracy, spelling and arithmetic) at a mean follow-up interval of 6.8 years post-injury in children who had sustained a mild, moderate, or severe TBI at two ages: 'Young' (age at injury: 3-7 years, n = 48) and 'Old': (age at injury: 8-12 years, n = 36). Comparisons between the young and old TBI groups resulted in inconsistent findings. While a dose-response relationship for severity was evident for the young group, this was not always the case for the old group. Significant predictors of outcome included both severity and acute intellectual function.

Spelling

10.1080/09602010902732868

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Implications of Reduced Callosal Area for Social Skills after Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Children

Journal of Neurotrauma (2009)

Miriam H. Beauchamp Vicki Anderson Cathy Catroppa Jerome J. Maller Celia Godfrey

The corpus callosum has been shown to be particularly vulnerable to the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in childhood, and severe injury frequently results in a smaller corpus callosum post-injury. However, the long-term effects of TBI on the integrity of the callosum, as well as the potential functional significance of callosal injury are poorly understood. Some studies suggest the corpus callosum may be involved in social skills, which are often reduced following TBI. In this study, callosal size was investigated in 37 individuals 10 years post–childhood TBI, and its relationship with social competence was examined. The results indicate that individuals who sustain severe TBI in childhood display reduced callosal size 10 years post-injury. In addition, callosal size correlated significantly with social skills, suggesting that callosal atrophy may be related to poorer social skills after TBI. These findings highlight the persistence of callosal abnormalities, which may be a result of interrupted neural development after childhood TBI. The results further underscore the potential importance of the corpus callosum for social competence after TBI.

10.1089/neu.2009.0916

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Preliminary efficacy of an attention and memory intervention post-childhood brain injury

Brain Injury (2014)

Cathy Catroppa Kate Stone Stefanie Rosema Cheryl Soo Vicki Anderson

Objective: Impairments in attention and memory are common consequences following paediatric acquired brain injury (ABI). Despite this, there is a scarcity of evidence-based interventions for these difficulties. The current study aimed to pilot the feasibility and efficacy of the English version of the Amsterdam Memory and Attention Test for Children (Amat-c) and to identify ecologically valid measures sensitive to post-evaluation improvements. It was expected that children with attention and memory difficulties post-TBI would show improved performance post-intervention on traditional cognitive measures and on measures of everyday performance.Methods and procedures: Three children (case study design) with an acquired brain injury (near drowning, birth delivery complications, fall from a horse) and currently between the ages of 8–13 were identified through audits of presentations to a metropolitan paediatric hospital. Each child underwent screening, pre-intervention and post-intervention assessments (immediate and 6 months).Outcomes/results: Results indicated improved performance in the areas of attention and memory from pre- to post-intervention, with gains maintained at 6 months post-intervention.Conclusions and implications: Findings demonstrate initial support for efficacy of the Amat-c and its use with survivors of child ABI to alleviate common cognitive and functional consequences. A larger study is needed to further confirm these findings.

Acquired brain injury

10.3109/02699052.2013.860471

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Social function assessment tools for children and adolescents: A systematic review from 1988 to 2010

Clinical Psychology Review (2011)

Louise Crowe Miriam H. Beauchamp Cathy Catroppa Vicki Anderson

10.1016/j.cpr.2011.03.008

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Long-Term Executive Functioning Outcomes for Complicated and Uncomplicated Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Sustained in Early Childhood

Developmental Neuropsychology (2014)

Jennifer Papoutsis Robyn Stargatt Cathy Catroppa

This study investigated long-term executive functioning following early mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), differentiating between complicated (n=34) and uncomplicated injuries (n=18). Children post mild TBI were compared to 33 controls at least 7-years post-injury. The complicated mild TBI group performed significantly worse on divided attention compared to both groups, with younger age at injury and neurological symptoms predictors of outcome. No significant group differences existed on speed of information processing, selective attention, working memory, or goal setting. These findings indicate that specific aspects of executive function are compromised by early complicated mild TBI and argue for a stratified definition of mild TBI.

10.1080/87565641.2014.979926

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What predicts persisting social impairment following pediatric traumatic brain injury: contribution of a biopsychosocial approach

Psychological Medicine (2022)

Vicki Anderson Stephen Hearps Cathy Catroppa Miriam H. Beauchamp Nicholas P. Ryan

Psychosocial deficits, such as emotional, behavioral and social problems, reflect the most common and disabling consequences of pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI). Their causes and recovery likely differ from physical and cognitive skills, due to disruption to developing brain networks and the influence of the child's environment. Despite increasing recognition of post-injury behavioral and social problems, there exists a paucity of research regarding the incidence of social impairment, and factors predicting risk and resilience in the social domain over time since injury.

Biopsychosocial model

Neurocognitive

10.1017/s0033291722000186

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Risk factors for adverse outcomes of bacterial meningitis

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health (1996)

Keith Grimwood TM Nolan Lyndal Bond VA Anderson Cathy Catroppa

Objective : To identify risk factors for adverse outcomes from bacterial meningitis. Methodology : From a cohort of 166 children with bacterial meningitis who were studied prospectively, 130/158 (82%) survivors underwent neurological, neuropsychological, audiological and behaviour assessments 5–9 years following their illness. Results : Major adverse outcomes included 8/166 (4.8%) deaths and severe neurological, intellectual or audiological sequelae in 11/130 (8.5%) children followed. Another 24 (18.5%) had cognitive, auditory or behaviour disorders. Bivariate analysis found age ≤12 months, tertiary referral, symptoms >24 h before diagnosis, seizures, focal neurological signs, deteriorating conscious state in hospital, Streptococcus pneumoniae infection and serum sodium concentration < 130 mmol/L were associated with adverse outcomes. Multivariate analysis showed age ≤12 months, symptoms >24 h, seizures after 72 h in hospital and focal neurological signs as independent risk factors. These were present in 18/19 (95%) children with major sequelae, but absent in 9/24 (37.5%) children with minor disabilities. Conclusions : As minor disabilities following meningitis cannot be predicted, all survivors require assessment during their early school years.

Tertiary referral hospital

10.1111/j.1440-1754.1996.tb00949.x

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Citations (72)

Neurodevelopmental outcomes of pediatric traumatic brain injury

Future Neurology (2009)

Cathy Catroppa Vicki Anderson

Pediatric traumatic brain injury is a major cause for concern when considering both the number of children sustaining injuries and the large number of children incurring life-long difficulties that impact on quality of life. Research is continuing to investigate outcomes and predictors of recovery in both cognitive and behavioral domains. Findings have contributed to better identification of children at high risk for neurobehavioral difficulties. The challenge is to now develop intervention programs to prevent or lessen the impact of such difficulties.

10.2217/fnl.09.52

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Citations (19)

Predictors of Cognitive Function and Recovery 10 Years After Traumatic Brain Injury in Young Children

PEDIATRICS (2012)

Vicki Anderson Celia Godfrey Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld Cathy Catroppa

Childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) has implications for functional outcomes, but few studies have documented long-term outcomes. The purpose of this study was to plot recovery of cognitive and functional skills after early childhood TBI to 10 years postinjury and to identify the contribution of injury, environment, preinjury characteristics, and acute functional recovery.Subjects were recruited consecutively to this prospective, longitudinal study, which used a between-factor design, with injury severity as the independent variable. Forty children with TBI aged 2 and 7 years were recruited on admission to a tertiary pediatric hospital, divided according to injury severity, and compared with 16 healthy controls acutely and 12 and 30 months and 10 years postinjury. Cognition, adaptive ability, executive function, and social/behavioral skills were examined.Children with severe TBI had poorest outcomes, with deficits greatest for cognition. Recovery trajectories were similar across severity groups but with significant gains in verbal skills from 12 and 30 months to 12 months and 10 years. Predictors of outcome included preinjury ability (for adaptive function) and family function (social/behavioral skills).Results confirm a high risk of persisting deficits after severe TBI in early childhood. Children with less severe TBI appear to recover to function normally. Contrary to speculation about "growing into deficits," after protracted recovery to 30 months, young children make age-appropriate progress at least to 10 years postinsult. Environmental factors were found to contribute to adaptive and social/behavioral recovery.

10.1542/peds.2011-0311

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Citations (199)