PHYSICAL THERAPY OF CHILDREN WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Abstract

Relevance. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children is an important health problem and often leads to neurological deficits and a decrease in the quality of life of the child and his or her family. In children, TBI has its own unique aspects, and often leads to interruption of the child’s normal development and the formation of a persistent disability. Physical therapy plays an important role in the rehabilitation of children with TBI, but currently there is an insufficient evidence base of the principles of physical therapy programs for this group of patients, which confirms the relevance of further research in this area. Objective. On the basis of theoretical research of scientific and methodical literature to define key principles of selection and use of physical therapy means in rehabilitation of children with consequences of traumatic brain injury.Materials and methods of the research. To achieve the aim of the research the analysis of foreign scientific and methodical editions which are published in PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases and correspond to the subject of the research was applied.Results of the study. An analysis of scientific publications was conducted to determine the key principles of selection and use of physical therapy in the rehabilitation of children with consequences of traumatic brain injury. The extraordinary importance and relevance of research in the field of physical therapy for children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been determined.It has been established that the clinical picture of TBI in children varies depending on the severity and nature of the injury, as well as the age of the child at the time of injury. It has been determined that in addition to motor and sensory deficits that occur in children after TBI, cognitive impairments, in particular executive function deficits, attention and memory problems, significantly complicate the process of rehabilitation, education and social adaptation of children with traumatic brain injury.It has been found that early initiation of rehabilitation interventions contributes to better functional recovery, in particular, improvement of motor and cognitive functions, which is crucial for ensuring the child’s quality of life in the long term.It has been determined that the key principle is the individualization of physical therapy, taking into account such factors as the severity of the injury, time since the injury, the presence of complications, the stage of recovery and the age of the child. In addition to physical functions, cognitive indicators play a significant role, including the ability to follow simple instructions, which determines the child’s ability to actively participate in the therapeutic process.It is also determined that creating an optimal child-friendly, enriched therapeutic environment and ensuring proper motivation of the child by including his or her interests in the therapeutic process is an important factor in effective rehabilitation. It is noted that in the case of severe motor disorders, an important role is played by the adaptation of living space, the selection of mobility aids and family training in child care techniques.The study results indicate that physical therapy for children with TBI is highly effective. However, there are currently no clear recommendations for the selection, dosing and amount of physical therapy. Thus, there is a need for additional research to determine the optimal approach to the formation of physical therapy programs for children with consequences of traumatic brain injury.Conclusions. The analysis of scientific publications on physical therapy of children with traumatic brain injury revealed that early initiation of physical therapy significantly reduces the recovery period and improves long-term results.An individualized approach to the selection and dosage of physical therapy, active family involvement, and the creation of a supportive environment for the child are the main factors in successful rehabilitation. However, despite the high effectiveness of physical therapy, there is still a need for clear recommendations on the principles of selection, dosage and amount of physical therapy, which emphasizes the importance of further research in this area.