Background: Traumatic brain injury is one of the most common causes of children's disability and death.
Aim of the study: The goal of this study was to present the effects of improvement treatment in patients who suffered various types of brain trauma, to discuss their motor functions as well as the emotional state and behavioural disturbances. One of the aims was also to present complications which took place reagardless of complex rehabilitation.
Material and methods: In this study we describe the state of 5 patients. The patients were assessed with the Ashworth and RLAS scales before and after the complex rehabilitation. The programme of rehabilitation was designed individually for each patient depending on his RLAS score. The complications developed after 6 months of treatment are described.
Results: In one case only- in a girl with hemiparesis- the state of nearly independent motor functioning was achieved. The other patients are bedridden or dependent on a second person when moving in a wheelchair. The girl with hempiparesis and another girl with spastic quadriparesis remain in the best verbal contact. Both of them however present with profound cognitive, emotional and behavioural deficits. The other patients are unable to reach any verbal communication. Because of swallowing problems some of the patients had feeding tube or tracheostomy performed. Each patient had an individually designed rehabilitation programme.
Conclusions: The outcome of rehabilitation treatment in patients with profound traumatic brain injury is very individual. The best outcome was achieved in a girl with hemiparesis who suffered brain injury in a car accident, and worse in children after brain hypoxaemia.