PARTNERS 

REPORT TO CONGRESS HIGHLIGHTS 

KEY POLICY STRATEGIES 

Traumatic Brain 

Injury in Children 

The Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention 

(CDC) released a Report 

to Congress detailing 

the impact of a 

Traumatic Brain Injury 

(TBI) on children and 

their families. 

The report identifies gaps in care, 

provides opportunities for action to 

reduce the gaps, and highlights key 

policy strategies to address the shortand long-term consequences of a TBI. 

TBI IN CHILDREN: 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTION 

Most of the TBI recovery process occurs after initial injury care, 

making coordination among parents, healthcare providers, and 

educational systems crucial. 

Outcomes can be improved when healthcare providers, parents, and school 

professionals work together throughout the transition from the medical 

setting to home and school. The Report to Congress includes detailed 

opportunities for action to improve care coordination after a TBI to maximize 

children’s potential for recovery, and achievement of optimal outcomes. 

Opportunities for Action:
 

ADVANCING TBI SCIENCE 

•	 Long-term studies are needed to
 

understand a TBI’s effects on brain
 

development, achievement of adult
 

milestones, and understand how the
 

family environment and co-occurring
 

conditions affect outcomes.
 

•	 Studies are needed to evaluate existing 

healthcare-to-school transition models, 

and evaluate the efficacy of guidelines 

and management protocols. 

•	 Research is needed to examine TBI 

management across multiple settings. 

ENHANCING HEALTHCARE IMPROVING RETURN 

OPTIONS INCLUDE: 

•	 Establishing clinical decision support to
 

help incorporate a child’s history and family
 

circumstances into medical reporting.
 

•	 Developing procedures for healthcare providers 

to offer follow-up guidance and resources for 

continued TBI management. 

•	 Evaluating the effectiveness of healthcare-toschool transition programs and practices.
 

•	 Developing models of care for people with a 

pediatric TBI history who transition to adult care. 

•	 Increasing formal training for healthcare 


providers related to TBI diagnosis and 


management.
 

•	 In rural areas, school-based health clinics 


and Medicaid may address some coverage 


discrepancies, while telemedicine is an 


especially promising practice.
 

TO SCHOOL, ACTIVITY 

& INDEPENDENCE 

OPTIONS INCLUDE: 

•	 Providing training programs for educators 

about TBI management at school. 

•	 Expanding support for school-based 

health clinics and telemedicine, especially 

in rural areas. 

•	 Developing return to sports and activity
 

protocols for school.
 

•	 Ensuring children returning to school
 

receive needed accommodations and
 

services.
 

•	 Documenting a child’s TBI history in 

school records, and working with families 

to support success at school. 
U.S. Department of 

Health and Hum11n Services 

Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention 

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY 

Traumatic brain injury occurs when a bump, blow, jolt or 

penetrating head injury disrupts the normal functioning of the 

brain. TBIs are labeled as mild, moderate, or severe based on 

clinical symptoms when they present to the healthcare setting. 

Among all age groups, young children have 

one of the highest rates of TBI-related 

emergency department (ED) visits. Injuries 

of any severity to the developing brain can 

negatively impact a child’s behavior and 

cognitive skills as they grow. 

Most children are resilient and recover well following a TBI, but some 

effects can cause problems later in life, such as: 

• Academic challenges and difficulty finding a job

• Chronic behavioral problems

• Social isolation

• Difficulty with peer relationships

• Risk for offending behavior and incarceration

• Lower participation in activities

• Depression and other mental health diagnoses

Factors that influence outcomes: 

• Age at injury

• Severity of injury

• Family and environmental factors (e.g., family resources for care)

• Individual characteristics, such as learning style and pre-injury level

of functioning

Services to support TBI management in children after initial injury care 

vary in availability, duration, and consistency within the United States. 

In rural areas, primary care physicians are likely to be the only source 

of care, and are less likely to have received advanced training in TBI 

management. In addition, specialized TBI rehabilitation programs are 

less likely to be available in rural areas. 

KEY GAPS 

LEARN MORE 

TBI: www.cdc.gov/TraumaticBrainInjury 

HEADS UP: www.cdc.gov/HEADSUP 

18,000

 HOSPITAL STAYS 

640,000

ED VISITS 

Among children aged 14 and 

younger, TBI contributed to 

1,500 deaths and nearly: 

Although most people 

think of a TBI as an acute 

condition, the effects of a TBI 

can be chronic and disabling. 

Taylor CA, Bell JM, Breiding MJ, Xu L. Traumatic brain injury–related 

emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths—United States, 

2007 and 2013. MMWR Surveillance Summaries. 2017; 66 

Masel BE, DeWitt DS. Traumatic brain injury: a disease process, 

not an event. Journal of Neurotrauma. 2010;27(8):1529-1540. 

Corrigan, J.D. & Hammond, F.M. (2013). Traumatic Brain Injury as a 

Chronic Heath Condition. Archives of Physical Medicine and 

Rehabilitation, 94(6), 1199-11201.