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Educational Disengagement Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Childhood

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Neuropsychological Formulation

Abstract

This chapter describes an adolescent presenting with a 2-year history of post-concussion syndrome (PCS). The injury occurred in her final year of secondary/high school education and led to significant educational underperformance and very poor school attendance. Initial management of her symptoms had not been effective and indeed may have amplified the risks of persistent PCS.

Judicious assessment of her cognitive symptoms was undertaken and led to corresponding reassurance regarding the integrity of her memory and general reasoning ability (IQ). Formulation was based on her pre-existing vulnerability and school avoidance leading to reinforcement of erroneous beliefs about the impact of the traumatic brain injury (TBI). Intervention relied on approaches known to be effective in preventing PCS. A positive outcome is described although residual symptoms of attention problems, fatigue and poor sleep were not addressed directly.

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Correspondence to Ingram Wright .

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Wright, I. (2016). Educational Disengagement Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Childhood. In: Macniven, J. (eds) Neuropsychological Formulation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18338-1_12

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