Traumatic Brain Injuries Affect 2.5% of US Kids

The prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is 2.5 percent among U.S. children, and TBI is associated with several health conditions, according to a study published online Sept. 24 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Juliet Haarbauer-Krupa, Ph.D., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues examined the lifetime prevalence of TBI in a nationally representative sample of U.S. children using data from the 2011 to 2012 National Survey of Children’s Health. For children with and those without TBI, the likelihood of reporting specific health conditions was compared.

The researchers found that among children, the lifetime estimate of parent-reported TBI was 2.5 percent, representing more than 1.8 million children nationally. Compared to those without a TBI history, children with a lifetime history of TBI were more likely to have a variety of health conditions. The most prevalent conditions included learning disorders; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; speech/language problems; developmental delay; bone, joint, or muscle problems; and anxiety problems (21.4, 20.5, 18.6, 15.3, 14.2, and 13.2 percent, respectively). The proportion of children with private health insurance and higher parent report of adequate insurance was more likely to be higher in states with a higher prevalence of childhood TBI.

“For more comprehensive monitoring, health care professionals should be aware of the increased risk of associated health conditions among children with TBI,” the authors write.

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