title: Early access to rehabilitation for paediatric patients with traumatic brain injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Paediatric major trauma centres are being developed in the UK. As a paediatric unit within a large regional hospital that is co-located with a neurosciences centre, we conducted this study to establish what inpatient rehabilitation service is offered to patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). It is known that early rehabilitation improves prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of all patients under the age of 16 years admitted with an ICD-10 diagnosis of head injury was conducted. We collected data on the presentation, interventions, rehabilitation and follow up arrangements of this patient cohort.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 146 patients were identified, of whom >50% had a traumatic lesion on brain computed tomography (CT) identified and 18% had a new diagnosis related to their TBI at discharge. 56% of patients with severe head injury were assessed by a neurodisability team member, but this dropped to 15% for the moderate cases and 5% for the mild cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many children who were admitted with TBI did not have access to early rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: PICU, St. George's Hospital, London, SW17 0QT, UK. martingray2@nhs.net.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Effectiveness, St. George's Hospital, London, SW17 0QT, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.affiliation: Child Development Centre, St. George's Hospital, London, SW17 0QT, UK.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hadjikoumi
keywords: Rehabilitation; Traumatic brain injury
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