The risk for a new affective or behavioral disorder increases in children up to 4 years after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), according to a study published in Pediatrics. Richard L. Delmonico, PhD, and colleagues conducted a cohort study of mTBI in children aged 17 and younger and controls. The analyses included 18,917 cases and 37,834 controls matched for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and date of medical visit. In the first 3 years after injury, adjusted risks for affective disorders were significantly higher for the mTBI group, especially during the second year (34% increase in risk). At years 2 and 4, the adjusted risks for behavioral disorders were significant, with up to a 37% increase in risk. The risk for postinjury affective and behavioral disorders was highest among patients aged 10-13. “Initial and ongoing screening for affective and behavior disorders after mTBI … can identify persistent conditions that may pose barriers to recovery,” Dr. Delmonico and colleagues wrote.
