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Childhood (or paediatric) acquired brain injury (ABI) is the term given to any injury to the brain that occurs during childhood but after birth and the immediate neo natal period. It excludes injuries sustained as a result of genetic or congenital disorder. It also excludes those resulting from birth traumas such as hypoxia or conditions such as foetal alcohol syndrome. It encompasses both traumatic and non-traumatic (or atraumatic) injuries. Traumatic injuries could include: a blow to the head; gunshot; stabbing; crushing and excessive vibration / oscillation. This can be caused by shaking or sudden deceleration. Traumatic injuries might but do not necessarily have to involve an open wound or penetration of the skull or of the meninges - an ‘open head’ injury. Non-traumatic injuries could include those caused by illnesses, such as tumours, encephalitis, meningitis and sinusitis. They could also be caused by infections such as septicaemia; events such as anoxia and hypoxia occasioned by strangulation or near drowning, lead toxicity, and substance misuse. ==Prevalence and impacts== The prevalence of ABI amongst school aged children in the UK is estimated to be in the region of 1 in 30,〔 〕 based on admissions to A & E, although some professionals consider it to be much higher, as a child can be admitted to A & E with another more urgent injury, which is considered to be of overriding concern at the time.〔 It can be tempting to assume that an injury acquired in childhood is likely to have a more positive long term outcome than one acquired during adulthood. It could be assumed that a child or adolescent could have a better chance of developing compensatory strategies whilst still at the stage where significant development and learning is taking place. If the injury is in any way significant this is often not the case.〔 〕 The inherent ‘plasticity’ of the brain can occasionally mean that areas damaged beyond healing can relocate their function to other undamaged areas (the so-called ‘Kennard principle’〔 〕) and there are documented cases where this has indeed happened.〔 〕 However, it is frequently the case that the functions associated with the damaged areas never fully develop and these deficits can present as significant disabilities or difficulties in later life.〔 〕 A significant proportion of the prior learning and the development of skills which has already taken place within an adult’s brain can often be retained post injury. However, a brain at the earlier stages of development, if damaged, might never develop the capacity to learn those skills, leading to subsequent difficulties that could manifest themselves physically, socially, emotionally and educationally.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Childhood acquired brain injury」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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