The Italian version of the Coma Recovery Scale for Pediatrics.

Background: The Coma Recovery Scale for Pediatrics (CRS-P) is a modified version of the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R). This CRS-P looks at behavioral responses and diagnoses Coma, Vegetative State, MCS and E-MCS in pediatric age. It is an ordinal scale consisting of 29 items divided into 6 subscales.

News insights into social cognition in Williams syndrome from a comprehensive assessment and a virtual reality task.

Although the uneven neuropsychological profile of William Syndrome (WS) is well established, less is known about social perception and how profile characteristics may affect the ability to predict other's intentions, a main hallmark of social cognition. This study aimed at examining the neuropsychological profile, including social perception, of adolescents and adults with WS, and at verifying which neuropsychological outcome might account for their social prediction ability. Twenty-six individuals with WS were administered a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, and a virtual reality scenario designed to assess social prediction in a dynamic, everyday life-like context.

Feasibility and Efficacy of a Virtual Reality Social Prediction Training in Children and Young Adults with Congenital Cerebellar Malformations.

This study tested the feasibility and efficacy of a Virtual Reality (VR) social prediction training (VR-Spirit) specifically designed for patients with congenital cerebellar malformation. The study is a randomised controlled trial in which 28 cerebellar patients aged 7-25 yo were randomly allocated to the VR-Spirit or to a control intervention in VR. The VR-Spirit required participants to compete with different avatars in scenarios that prompted them to form predictions about avatars' intentions.

Hormonal Dysfunction in Paediatric Patients Admitted to Rehabilitation for Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Analysis of the Associations with Rehabilitation Outcomes.

Traumatic brain injury is often accompanied by defects in hormone levels, caused by either peripheral gland dysfunctions or by an insufficient central stimulation of hormone production. The epidemiology of endocrinological defects after traumatic brain injury is quite well described, but the consequences of hormone defects are largely unknown, especially in paediatric patients undergoing neurological rehabilitation. Only one previous study reported on a cohort of 20 children with traumatic brain injury and found a low incidence of hormone defects and a correlation between some hormone levels and neurological recovery.

Neurorestorative effects of cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation on social prediction of adolescents and young adults with congenital cerebellar malformations.

Background: Converging evidence points to impairments of the predictive function exerted by the cerebellum as one of the causes of the social cognition deficits observed in patients with cerebellar disorders.

Objective: We tested the neurorestorative effects of cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation (ctDCS) on the use of contextual expectations to interpret actions occurring in ambiguous sensory sceneries in a sample of adolescents and young adults with congenital, non-progressive cerebellar malformation (CM).

Methods: We administered an action prediction task in which, in an implicit-learning phase, the probability of co-occurrence between actions and contextual elements was manipulated to form either strongly or moderately informative expectations.

Randomized clinical trial on the effects of a computerized cognitive training for pediatric patients with acquired brain injury or congenital malformation.

Both acquired injuries and congenital malformations often cause lifelong disabilities in children, with a significant impact on cognitive abilities. Remote computerized cognitive training (CCT) may be delivered in ecological settings to favour rehabilitation continuity. This randomized clinical trial (RCT) evaluated the efficacy of an 8-week multi-domain, home-based CCT in a sample of patients aged 11-16 years with non-progressive acquired brain injury (ABI), brain tumor (BT) and congenital brain malformation (CBM).

Long-Term Vocational Outcome at 15 Years from Severe Traumatic and Non-Traumatic Brain Injury in Pediatric Age.

Background: Recent studies suggest that acquired brain injury with impaired consciousness in infancy is related to more severe and persistent effects and may have a cumulative effect on ongoing development. In this work, we aim to describe vocational outcome in a group of patients at 15 years from a severe brain lesion they suffered in developmental age.

Methods: This study included a total of 147 patients aged 1.

Prelinguistic intersubjective and socio-communicative skills in infants with neurodevelopmental disabilities aged 0-36 months: A new assessment and parent support tool.

Background: Although children with neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) present with several deficits, they partially share developmental impairments in prelinguistic intersubjective and socio-communicative skills, which are not easily assessed by conventional tests during the first years of life.

Aim: The current paper presents a new procedure to assess the prelinguistic intersubjective and socio-communicative skills of NDD children aged 0-36 months. A specific observation form template, called the Observation of Prelinguistic Intersubjective and Socio-Communicative Skills (OPISCoS) form, has been designed to systematically detect infant skills during daily routines (e.

Visual Feedback and Virtual Reality in Gait Rehabilitation of Hemiparetic Children and Teenagers after Acquired Brain Injury: A Pilot Study.

Hemiparesis as a term refers to a neurological disorder that can be extremely variable, especially with regard to walking abilities. Few works have assessed the use of virtual reality and biofeedback in children and adolescents with hemiparesis. The aim of this study is to provide insights about the rehabilitation of hemiparetic children and teenagers with visual biofeedback in a virtual reality environment.

Neuropsychological assessment through Coma Recovery Scale-Revised and Coma/Near Coma Scale in a sample of pediatric patients with disorder of consciousness.

Background: The Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) has become a standard tool in assessing Disorders of consciousness (DoC) in adults. However, its measurement validity in pediatrics has only been ascertained in healthy cases. Increasing use of CRS-R in children with DoC imposes appropriate comparison against previously validated tools.

Body Processing in Children and Adolescents with Traumatic Brain Injury: An Exploratory Study.

Dysfunctions in body processing have been documented in adults with brain damage, while limited information is available for children. This study aimed to investigate body processing in children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury (TBI) (N = 33), compared to peers with typical development. Two well-known computerized body-representation paradigms, namely Visual Body Recognition and Visuo-spatial Imagery, were administered.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Real-Time Telerehabilitation Intervention for Children and Young Adults with Acquired Brain Injury During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Experience Report.

This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a telerehabilitation intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of children and young adults with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). Thirteen patients and/or their families agreed to participate in the speech and neuropsychological telerehabilitation sessions. The treatment was synchronous, patient centered and aimed at improving specific abilities.

Remote cognitive training for children with congenital brain malformation or genetic syndrome: a scoping review.

Increased attention is arising on the delivery of remote cognitive interventions, which allow performing exercises in everyday settings, favouring rehabilitation continuity. The present study offers an overview of remote cognitive training programs for children with congenital brain malformation or genetic syndrome affecting the central nervous system, included in papers published in the time period 2011-2021. A total of 13 records was found and discussed including efficacy studies, feasibility studies and study protocols.

Emerging Treatments for Disorders of Consciousness in Paediatric Age.

The number of paediatric patients living with a prolonged Disorder of Consciousness (DoC) is growing in high-income countries, thanks to substantial improvement in intensive care. Life expectancy is extending due to the clinical and nursing management achievements of chronic phase needs, including infections. However, long-known pharmacological therapies such as amantadine and zolpidem, as well as novel instrumental approaches using direct current stimulation and, more recently, stem cell transplantation, are applied in the absence of large paediatric clinical trials and rigorous age-balanced and dose-escalated validations.

Individualized Prognostic Prediction of the Long-Term Functional Trajectory in Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury.

In pediatric acquired brain injury, heterogeneity of functional response to specific rehabilitation treatments is a key confound to medical decisions and outcome prediction. We aimed to identify patient subgroups sharing comparable trajectories, and to implement a method for the early prediction of the long-term recovery course from clinical condition at first discharge. 600 consecutive patients with acquired brain injury (7.

Oxcarbazepine for Behavioral Disorders after Brain Injury: Factors Influencing Efficacy.

Carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine are used for behavioral disorders following organic diseases. After severe acquired brain injury, patients may develop frontal symptoms. In our neurological rehabilitation routine, oxcarbazepine is used for better safety over carbamazepine, although its efficacy is not clarified.

The Effectiveness of Robot- vs. Virtual Reality-Based Gait Rehabilitation: A Propensity Score Matched Cohort.

Robot assisted gait training (RAGT) and virtual reality plus treadmill training (VRTT) are two technologies that can support locomotion rehabilitation in children and adolescents affected by acquired brain injury (ABI). The literature provides evidence of their effectiveness in this population. However, a comparison between these methods is not available.

Virtual-Reality Performance-Based Assessment of Cognitive Functions in Adult Patients With Acquired Brain Injury: A Scoping Review.

Individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) commonly present with impairments in cognitive abilities. As these competencies seem to be predictive of patients' abilities to reintegrate into the everyday settings, it is crucial to assess them properly. However, previous research has indicated that patients may perform relatively well on standard tests of cognitive functioning, but may nonetheless encounter significant difficulties in organizing and executing everyday tasks.

Drug Use in Pediatric Patients Admitted to Rehabilitation For Severe Acquired Brain Injury: Analysis of the Associations With Rehabilitation Outcomes.

Introduction: Patients with severe acquired brain injuries require drug therapies in intensive care for life support and injury treatment. Patients who then access rehabilitation usually maintain their drug treatments long term, with a potential influence on the rehabilitation course. Whereas drug effects have been reported for specific drugs and clinical issues in adults, comprehensive data on pediatric patients with traumatic and non-traumatic injuries are scant.

Feasibility Randomized Trial for an Intensive Memory-Focused Training Program for School-Aged Children with Acquired Brain Injury.

(1) Background: Memory deficits are common sequelae of pediatric Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). Only methods for non-focused cognitive remediation are available to the pediatric field. The aims of this feasibility trial are the description, implementation, and test of an intensive program specific to the training and re-adaptation of memory function in children, called Intensive Memory-Focused Training Program (IM-FTP); (2) Methods: Eleven children and adolescents with ABI (mean age at injury = 12.

Minimum Clinically Important Difference of Gross Motor Function and Gait Endurance in Children with Motor Impairment: A Comparison of Distribution-Based Approaches.

Objective: The minimum clinically important difference (MCID) is a standard way of measuring clinical relevance. The objective of this work was to establish the MCID for the 6-minute walking test (6minWT) and the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) in pediatric gait disorders.

Methods: A cohort, pretest-posttest study was conducted in a hospitalized care setting.

Joint Neuropsychological Assessment through Coma/Near Coma and Level of Cognitive Functioning Assessment Scales Reduces Negative Findings in Pediatric Disorders of Consciousness.

The present study aimed to: (a) characterize the emergence to a conscious state (CS) in a sample of children and adolescents with severe brain injury during the post-acute rehabilitation and through two different neuropsychological assessment tools: the Rappaport Coma/Near Coma Scale (CNCS) and Level of Cognitive Functioning Assessment Scale (LOCFAS); (b) compare the evolution in patients with brain lesions due to traumatic and non-traumatic etiologies; and (c) describe the relationship between the emergence to a CS and some relevant clinical variables. In this observational prospective longitudinal study, 92 consecutive patients were recruited. Inclusion criteria were severe disorders of consciousness (DOC), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score ≤8 at insult, age 0 to 18 years, and direct admission to inpatient rehabilitation from acute care.

Home-based cognitive training in pediatric patients with acquired brain injury: preliminary results on efficacy of a randomized clinical trial.

Cognitive rehabilitation may compensate for cognitive deficits of children with acquired brain injury (ABI), capitalizing on the use-dependent plasticity of a developing brain. Remote computerized cognitive training (CCT) may be delivered to patients in ecological settings, ensuring rehabilitation continuity. This work evaluated cognitive and psychological adjustment outcomes of an 8-week multi-domain, home-based CCT (Lumosity Cognitive Training) in a sample of patients with ABI aged 11-16 years.

Comparison of Multi-class Machine Learning Methods for the Identification of Factors Most Predictive of Prognosis in Neurobehavioral assessment of Pediatric Severe Disorder of Consciousness through LOCFAS scale.

Severe Disorders of Consciousness (DoC) are generally caused by brain trauma, anoxia or stroke, and result in conditions ranging from coma to the confused-agitated state. Prognostic decision is difficult to achieve during the first year after injury, especially in the pediatric cases. Nevertheless, prognosis crucially informs rehabilitation decision and family expectations.

Motor Improvement in Adolescents Affected by Ataxia Secondary to Acquired Brain Injury: A Pilot Study.

Aim: To assess changes in locomotion and balance in adolescents affected by ataxia secondary to acquired brain injury after a rehabilitation treatment with physiotherapy and the Gait Real-time Analysis Interactive Lab (GRAIL), an immersive virtual reality platform.

Methods: 11 ataxic adolescents (16(5) years old, 4.7(6.