ABSTRACT

Families and schools exert a critical influence on recovery and rehabilitation of children who have sustained brain injuries, particularly since a substantial portion of recovery occurs after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Shortened hospital stays, coupled with the chronic nature of cognitive and behavioural problems following traumatic brain injury (TBI), have placed increased demands on schools to meet children's rehabilitation needs. Children across the injury severity spectrum experience cognitive and behavioural sequelae that adversely affect school performance. Evidence-based assessment and instruction coupled with social-behavioural support methods can help mitigate the academic and behavioural challenges associated with TBI and the long-term problems that can follow these children into adulthood. Obstacles to proper identification and appropriate services for children with TBI in the school setting include lack of hospital-school coordination, inadequate teacher preparation, and parent-educator conflict. A recent population-based study showed that fewer than 40 per cent of children who exhibited challenges in adaptive functioning and social-community participation received support services in school.