Application of the International classification of functioning, disability and health in medical rehabilitation of children with severe traumatic brain injury

BACKGROUND: The problem of rehabilitation of patients with severe traumatic brain injury has been and remains very important and relevant for both adults and children. Patients with severe traumatic brain injury often develop severe physical, mental, emotional and cognitive impairments, which are often difficult to correct and require long-term treatment, including rehabilitation, relying solely on the body's potential, which is accompanied by a heavy financial burden for the patient, his family, and society in general. The introduction of new diagnostic methods, the improvement of resuscitation measures, the use of modern methods of neurosurgical intervention and timely rehabilitation can increase the proportion of children who survived after severe traumatic brain injury and their quality of life.

AIM: to evaluate the effectiveness of medical rehabilitation of children with severe traumatic brain injury with the participation of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team and relatives of patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 50 children with severe traumatic brain injury. Two groups were distinguished by the randomization method: the main group — 25 patients (50%) and the control group, which included 25 patients (50%). The follow-up period was 1 year after the onset of severe traumatic brain injury. In the main group, an individual plan for early rehabilitation was drawn up on the 2nd day after a severe traumatic brain injury in intensive care. At the first stage of rehabilitation, which is carried out in the intensive care unit and the neurosurgery department, an individual medical rehabilitation plan was developed for the children of the main group, depending on somatic indicators and the severity of the condition, and a rehabilitation diagnosis based on the International classification of functioning, disability and health was established. In the control group, after transfer from the intensive care unit to the specialized neurosurgical department, patients received basic rehabilitation therapy: articular gymnastics, paraffin therapy, and psychological support.

RESULTS: In the main group, more effective changes were noted in domains associated with impaired structure and function of the nervous system, which led to improved activity and participation, self-service. In patients of the control group, there were no significant changes in the state of functions, activity and participation.

CONCLUSION: The early start of complex medical rehabilitation of children with severe traumatic brain injury reduces disability and accelerates the process of the patient's socialization, which is more clearly demonstrated by the International classification of functioning, disability and health approach. The use of International classification of functioning, disability and health for with severe traumatic brain injury in children in medical rehabilitation departments is a good tool for setting rehabilitation goals, choosing rehabilitation measures and assessing the effectiveness of rehabilitation.