Stimulant Use in Paediatric Acquired: Brain Injury: Evaluation of a Protocol

Abstract

AbstractChildren with acquired brain injury (ABI) experience deficits in attentional skills such as, sustained attention, distractability and impulsivity, which have the potential to influence all aspects of their functioning. The use of central nervous system (CNS) stimulants is gaining increasing popularity in adult ABI literature. CNS stimulants have been successfully utilised in the management of attentional problems in attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder and are believed to have their therapeutic effect by modulating neurotransmitter function in the neocortex, an area of the brain implicated in the neurobehavioural sequelae of ABI. Research into the use of CNS stimulants in paediatric ABI reports contradictory findings. We present the case of LI a 7-year-old boy with a history of ABI who underwent a trial of stimulant medication for management of attentional deficits. The case is discussed with regard to the efficacy of the pharmacological intervention and the design of objective protocols for stimulant trials.