Recovery of Language Skills in Children After Prolonged Unconsciousness

Abstract

The regaining of language skills in thirty children unconscious for ninety days or more following acquired brain injury is reported. Although language skills were limited in twenty-six children, four children with closed head injuries were sufficiently function al to be placed in mainstream classes. The recovery of language was correlated with cause of injury—children with closed head injuries were much more likely to regain lan guage. Ten children acquired language more than one year after injury, two at nearly four years after injury. In the four children who were most functional, initial language attempts were observed within 96 to 133 days after injury. Only children with closed head injuries regained higher language skills.