ABSTRACT.
Objectives.
The impact of mild head in-jury or mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children isvariable, and determinants of outcome remain poorly understood. There have been no previous attempts to evaluate the impact of interventions to improve outcome. Results of previous intervention studies in adults have been mixed. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of providing information on outcome measured in terms of reported symptoms, cognitive performance, and psycho-logical adjustment in children 3 months after injury. Methods. A total of 61 children with mild TBI were
assessed 1 week and 3 months after injury, and 58 chil-dren with mild TBI were assessed 3 months after injury
only. They were compared with 2 control groups (N45and 47) of children with minor injuries not involving the
head. Participants completed measures of preinjury be-havior and psychological adjustment, postconcussion
symptoms, and tests of attention, speed of information processing, and memory. Children with mild TBI seen at
1 week were also given an information booklet outlining symptoms associated with mild TBI and suggested cop-
ing strategies. Those seen 3 months after injury only did not receive this booklet. Results.Children with mild TBI reported more symptoms than controls at 1 week but demonstrated no impairment on neuropsychological measures. Initial symptoms had resolved for most children by 3 months after injury, but a small group of children who had previous head injury or a history of learning or behav-ioral difficulties reported ongoing problems. The group
not seen at 1 week and not given the information booklet reported more symptoms overall and was more stressed 3
months after injury.Conclusions. Providing an information booklet re-duces anxiety and thereby lowers the incidence of ongo-ing problems.Pediatrics2001;108:1297–1303; mild head injury, mild traumatic brain injury, intervention, outcome.