title: Severe acquired brain injury: rehabilitation of communicative skills in children and adolescents.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the use of a descriptive taxonomy for assessment of communicative abilities, the Pragmatic Protocol, in a rehabilitation setting with brain-injured children and adolescents. Eight severely brain-damaged children/youths were assessed with the Pragmatic Protocol during an intensive 6-week rehabilitation period. The nature and extent of communicative functioning was rated independently by a speech language pathologist and a rehabilitation assistant. The data suggests that the number of inappropriate pragmatic behaviours is relatively high, above all regarding aspects of speech/language and nonverbal communication. Interrater agreement reached approximately 95% considering nature of the communicative dysfunction in each patient. Results indicate the use of the Pragmatic Protocol as a useful tool to trace aspects of communicative competence in need of further, detailed exploration. Information concerning intact abilities is clarified and can be used in designing treatment.
authors.affiliation: Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. asa.fyrberg@vgregion.se
authors.forename: Asa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fyrberg
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marchioni
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Emanuelson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology*