Efficacy of interdisciplinary assessment and treatment for infants and preschoolers with congenital and acquired brain injury

The complexities of assessment and treatment for brain-injured youngsters demand interdisciplinary effort. A multiprofessional approach can provide both varied and congruent information to guide treatment. While the team approach has been extolled, few research studies have attempted to document its efficiency or efficacy. The present study employed an interdisciplinary model to assess the progress of brain-injured children during their course of treatment. Specifically, the study attempted to document the effectiveness of a team approach over a 3.5 month period of intensive treatment for two etiologically distinct groups of children (acquired injury, n = 7; congenital injury, n = 10). Analysis of developmental and behavioral progress over the period of team intervention (-x = 3.5 months) revealed significant pre-post gains for the congenital as well as the acquired groups of brain-injured children. Significant team therapy effects beyond gains expected due to maturation were evident across four developmental domains (i.e., cognitive, socio-emotional, self-care, perceptual/fine motor) and five behavioral processes (i.e., social orientation, attention, receptive communication, object orientation, and self-regulation) on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Early Intervention Developmental Profile, and Carolina Record of Individual Behavior. Progress was less evident in various neuromotor, self-regulatory, and neurophysiological areas (i.e., gross motor, expressive communication, activity, reactivity, frustration, and consolability) despite intervention in these areas. Suggested guidelines for team diagnosis, intervention, and program evaluation for young brain-injured children are detailed.