ABSTRACT

Trauma is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in children, and central nervous system trauma is the major determinant of the severity of injury. Because of the development of sophisticated trauma systems to care for the child with severe injuries, more children with severe injuries survive-many of whom will live a lifetime with acquired disabilities. The long-term burden of these disabilities ranges from negligible to staggering. To deal with these consequences, rehabilitation systems have been developed to assist these children and their families, helping them to optimize their function in their home, school, and community.