An international perspective on educators’ perceptions of children with Traumatic Brain Injury

School experiences following traumatic brain injury: A longitudinal qualitative study

BACKGROUND

This longitudinal qualitative study tracked students with traumatic brain injury (TBI) from hospital discharge through their return to school and then for an average of four years of school.

OBJECTIVE

To better understand the experiences of students and parents in the education system following TBI.

METHODS

Participants were parents and educators of 21 students with TBI. Interviews were conducted using open-ended questions and students were observed in the classroom.

RESULTS

From these data, three themes were identified: lack of student tracking year to year, lack of educator training, and conflicting views between educators and parents about students' needs. These factors ultimately led to parent frustration and eventually conflict and deteriorating relationships between parents and educators.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that improving educator training could positively affect the factors identified and possibly mitigate parent frustration.

School professionals' knowledge about pediatric traumatic brain injury: an international study

OBJECTIVE

To determine Spanish-speaking school professionals' level of knowledge and attitudes regarding pediatric TBI.

METHODS

School professionals(n = 2,238) from 19 countries completed an online-survey regarding their training, knowledge and misconceptions, attitudes and perceptions about TBI.

RESULTS

Of the full sample 75% (n = 1689) knew what TBI was, though only 18% (n = 350) reported having experience with a student with TBI. Only 7.7% (n = 143) and 3% (n = 55) of participants could identify all of the common short- and long-term TBI sequelae, respectively. Special education professionals, those with experience with a student with TBI, and those who had received training regarding TBI showed greater knowledge in these areas. Although participants showed high levels of knowledge in 6/24 misconceptions of TBI, they endorsed others. Group, sex, experience with students with TBI, training in TBI, and number of years working were significantly linked to some misconceptions about TBI; however, the effect sizes were small.

CONCLUSION

The knowledge and experience that Spanish-speaking school professionals have regarding childhood TBI are minimal. It is therefore critical that these professionals receive a more comprehensive education during their academic training and the practice of their profession about TBI.

Pediatric acquired brain injury resources for educators: a multi-year scan of Canadian-relevant internet resources

BACKGROUND

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is the leading cause of death and disability in children, yet educators report a lack of knowledge about ABI and supporting students with ABI. With no formal learning about ABI, education professionals may turn to the internet for information.

OBJECTIVES

To find online resources about supporting students with ABI, in any format, available freely and publicly, aimed toward elementary educators and that could be applied in a Canadian context.

METHODS

We performed an environmental scan using keyword Google searches, key websites, and expert recommendations. The search was performed twice: 2018 and 2021.

RESULTS

96 resources were included after screening. The resources were published by organizations in the United States (n = 57), Canada (n = 19), United Kingdom (n = 16), Australia (n = 3) and New Zealand (n = 1). Traumatic brain injury and concussion were the most commonly addressed type of ABI, and Short Fact/Information sheets were the most common resource format. Between 2018 and 2021, 13 previously included resource links were no longer accessible.

CONCLUSIONS

This scan suggests that there are many online resources available to educators in a variety of formats, and that information online can be transient. Future studies should evaluate the accuracy and quality of the resources available.

Stakeholder perspectives on navigating the pediatric concussion experience: Exploring the needs for improved communication across the care continuum

BACKGROUND

For children, the post-concussion return to school process is a critical step towards achieving positive health outcomes. The process requires integration between healthcare professionals, parents, and school personnel.

OBJECTIVE

This research team conducted focus groups with stakeholders including parents, education personnel, school nurses, external healthcare providers (nurses) and athletic trainers to identify communication patterns between healthcare providers outside of the school setting and school personnel.

METHODS

Data from focus groups were analyzed using a Thematic Analysis approach. Researchers used an inductive (bottom-up) coding process to describe semantic themes and utilized a critical realist epistemology.

RESULTS

We identified four key themes within focus group data: (1) lack of effective communication between hospital and outpatient healthcare providers to school personnel; (2) parents who were strong advocates had improved communication with healthcare professionals and garnered more accommodations for their children; (3) non-school professionals and families were often confused about who the point of contact was at a given school; and (4) differing experiences for athletes vs. non-athletes.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests gaps in communication between healthcare and school professionals when children return to school following a concussion. Improving communication between healthcare providers and school staff will require a multi-faceted approach.

Paediatric traumatic brain injury

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To provide a summary of recent developments in the field of paediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI).

RECENT FINDINGS

The epidemiology of paediatric TBI with falling rates of severe TBI, and increasing presentations of apparently minor TBI. There is growing interest in the pathophysiology and outcomes of concussion in children, and detection of 'significant' injury, arising from concern about risks of long-term chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The role of decompressive craniectomy in children is still clarifying.

SUMMARY

Paediatric TBI remains a major public health issue.

Speech-Language Pathologists' Comfort Providing Intervention to Children With Traumatic Brain Injury: Results From a National Survey

Purpose This exploratory study examined speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) clinical experience and work environment characteristics impacting comfort with providing intervention to children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Method This study included 162 SLPs who responded to a national survey about their comfort providing intervention to children with TBI, clinical experience (i.e., years of experience treating children with TBI, TBI preprofessional training and professional development, and licensure/credentialing), and work environment (i.e., work setting, caseload size, geographic location). Results Findings from latent class analysis revealed 3 distinct groups of SLPs based on their comfort with providing services to children with TBI: those with low comfort, moderate comfort, and high comfort. Further analyses revealed statistically significant differences across the 3 groups in the areas of years of experience treating children with TBI, professional development, work setting, TBI caseload size, and geographic location. Conclusions Our findings reveal that most SLPs feel comfortable providing intervention to children with TBI; however, differences in characteristics across groups suggest that specific steps can be taken to ensure increased comfort for all SLPs working with this population. Practicing SLPs may increase their level of comfort through professional development and hands-on, mentored experience with TBI. Efforts such as these may influence the quality of service provision and expand the population of SLPs who feel comfortable treating children with TBI. Future research is needed to further examine how comfort and SLP characteristics directly impact the quality of speech and language intervention and long-term outcomes of children with TBI.

A quasi-experimental study examining the effects of online traumatic brain injury professional development on educator knowledge, application, and efficacy in a practitioner setting

Background: Each year ∼700 000 U.S. children ages 0-19 years sustain a traumatic brain injury. Children who experience brain injury are at risk for impairments in executive function, processing speed, cognition, memory, attention, and behavior which can lead to school failure. However, few teachers or other educational professionals receive training on effectively working with students who have traumatic brain injury (TBI). The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of an online traumatic brain injury professional development intervention, In the Classroom after Concussion: Best Practices for Student Success.Methods: This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of online traumatic brain injury professional development (In the Classroom after Concussion: Best Practices for Student Success) on educator knowledge, knowledge application, and self-efficacy in a practitioner setting with a sample of 81 educators from all professional backgrounds. Participants completed the pretest, accessed the In the Classroom training and posttest, and completed follow-up assessments 30 days after the posttest. Measures: (1) knowledge of effective strategies for working with students with TBI; (2) knowledge application; (3) self-efficacy in handling situations presented in text and video scenarios, and (4) a standardized measure of educator self-efficacy.Results: On the posttest assessment, educators showed significant gains in knowledge (p = 0.001, r = 0.62), knowledge application (p = 0.001, r = 0.63), and self-efficacy (p = 0.008, r = 0.29). At 30-day follow up, educators maintained significant gains in knowledge (p = 0.001, r = 0.62) and self-efficacy (p value = 0.008, r = 0.28), but not in knowledge application.Conclusion: Given the prevalence of traumatic brain injury, it is important to develop evidence-based, cost-effective approaches to knowledge transfer and exchange in traumatic brain injury professional development. In the Classroom is one such approach.Implications for rehabilitationWithout training in TBI, educators will be poorly prepared to monitor students' post-injury challenges and to address learning and behavioral challenges as they occur.Given the prevalence of TBI, it is important to develop evidence-based, cost-effective approaches to knowledge transfer and exchange in TBI professional development. In the Classroom is one such approach.