Adaptive functioning in children in the first six months after surgery for brain tumours.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the adaptive functioning of children who underwent surgery for brain tumours with a view to analyse the related acute impairments and to describe their short-term outcome.


METHODS
We investigated adaptive functioning in 25 children (ranging from 2 to 18 years of age) for 40 days and again 3 and 6 months after they underwent surgery for various brain tumours. The Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales (VABS) were used to assess their adaptive functioning, considering the four main domains and all the subdomains.


RESULTS
The results remained stable over the follow-up period considered. The domain in which the scores were most severely affected was Daily Living, followed by the Socialisation and Communication domains. Within the Communication domain, the abilities investigated in the Receptive subdomain revealed the worst impairments. Within the Daily Living domain, impairments were most evident in the children's capacity to take care of themselves and handle domestic activities. In the Socialisation domain, Play and Leisure Time, and Interpersonal Relationships were the subdomains most severely impaired.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings are relevant because identifying children's adaptive functioning difficulties sooner could help their rehabilitation to be tailored and thus have a positive fallout on their long-term outcome.
Developmental Neurology Unit, Carlo Besta National Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy.
Chiara
C
Vago
Sara
S
Bulgheroni
Arianna
A
Usilla
Veronica
V
Biassoni
Annalisa
A
Serra
Simonetta
S
Gentile
Daniela
D
Ajovalasit
Matilde
M
Leonardi
Maura
M
Massimino
Paola
P
Fidani
Daria
D
Riva
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D009048:Motor Skills; D012951:Socialization