ABSTRACT
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) arising from closed-head trauma in children are the most common source of acquired brain injury among children and adolescents, and represent a major public health problem in the United States. Epidemiological studies of pediatric TBI vary widely in their methodologies. The most common causes of TBI involve transportation, falls, and blunt trauma. TBI involves multiple forms of neuropathology, ranging from overt damage to brain tissue to disruptions in brain function at a cellular level. The pathophysiology of TBI involves interwoven processes that begin at the time of impact but continue for an extended period of time. TBI can be associated with a variety of late effects. The cognitive consequences of pediatric TBI have been the subject of several reviews and meta-analyses. Most research on the outcomes of pediatric TBI has focused on group comparisons (e.g., severe TBI versus orthopedic injuries).
