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Purpose Through a hypothetical case study, this article aimed to describe an evidence-based approach for speech-language pathologists in managing students with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), particularly within a formal statewide-supported school-based brain injury team model, such as the BrainSTEPS Brain Injury School Consulting Program operating in Pennsylvania and Colorado. Conclusion Upon transitioning from the medical setting back to school, children with TBI present with unique educational needs. Children with moderate-to-severe TBIs can demonstrate a range of strengths and deficits in speech, language, cognition, and feeding and swallowing, impacting their participation in various school activities. The specialized education, training, and insight of speech-language pathologists, in collaboration with multidisciplinary medical and educational team members, can enable the success of students with TBI when transitioning back to school postinjury ( DePompei & Blosser, 2019 ; DePompei & Tyler, 2018 ). This transition should focus on educational planning, implementation of strategies and supports, and postsecondary planning for vocations or higher education.

Purpose In early 2020, the second International Cognitive-Communication Disorders Conference was held to provide an opportunity for researchers and clinician-scientists to discuss the most recent advances and pressing issues in the care of individuals with cognitive-communication disorders (CCDs). Presentations and discussions resulted in the identification of four areas in need of attention: (a) terminology, (b) training, (c) interdisciplinary teams, and (d) pediatrics. We will explore the four themes identified at ICCDC, specifically expanding on how terminology, training, and teams intersect in pediatric traumatic brain injury care. Additionally, we will provide two case studies to highlight the integration of these themes and suggest ways to advance clinical service provision across medical and educational settings for persons with CCDs through the lens of pediatrics. Conclusion While speech-language pathology has come a long way since the original discussion of CCD over 30 years ago, clinicians and researchers have ongoing opportunities to help advance the ways in which speech-language pathologists offer support to persons, specifically children, with CCDs and to continue to advance the profession.

To review the evidence available on early childhood (i.e., 0–5 years 11 months) traumatic brain injury (TBI) and identify clinical implications and future directions for speech-language pathology (SLP) practice and research, a scoping review of the literature was conducted following the 2018 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRSIMA-ScR) guidelines. A total of 44 peer-reviewed articles were included for review. Included studies were assigned one or more of the following thematic labels related to early childhood TBI: etiology, assessment, treatment, outcomes, contributing factors. Most of the studies were nonexperimental studies and addressed outcomes following early childhood TBI. We conclude, based on this scoping review, that children who experience a TBI before 6 years of age are at risk for persistent long-term difficulties in academic and social functioning. SLPs are among the group of clinicians most appropriate to assess and treat these children; yet, the evidence for assessment, treatment, and identification of factors contributing to the recovery of young children with TBI is particularly lacking. Rigorous research is needed to improve the evidence base for SLPs.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the rates of referral to and receipt of acute and long-term services and identify factors that could impact these rates for children who experienced an acquired brain injury (ABI) during early childhood who are now in elementary and middle school. Method This was a retrospective chart review and prospective phone survey of 29 caregivers of children with ABIs. Results Acutely, two thirds of this sample received hospital-based rehabilitation services, but only 44.8% of families reported receiving ABI-specific education or a referral to educational or rehabilitation services at the time of discharge. At an average of 8.5 years postinjury, children in this sample were largely reported to be performing positively in school. While special education rates did not change significantly over time, 20.7% of the sample reported having unmet educational needs. Additionally, service receipt decreased over time. Various injury and educational factors influenced rates of long-term special education and service receipt. Conclusions This study contributes to the emerging literature focusing on long-term outcomes of children with ABI. The results reinforce that children who experience an ABI in early childhood are unlikely to receive ABI-specific education or referrals to educational and rehabilitation services during their acute-care stay and, in the chronic stages of recovery, present with educational and therapy needs that can go unmet. To improve long-term service access for children who experience an early ABI, pathways need to be established within the acute-care setting for education and referrals that connect the child and family to treatment within early intervention and educational systems. Maintaining these pathways long term, particularly for potential social-behavioral and cognitive-communication concerns, could increase access to appropriate services and, thus, decrease unmet needs for children with ABI.