Rehabilitation in Pediatric Patients with Acute and Subacute Acquired Brain Injury: A Scoping Review on Non-Pharmacological Interventions
- 1IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C. da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
- 2Dipartimento di Psicologia Generale, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy
Abstract
Background: Acquired brain injury in children and adolescents may lead to long-term neurological, cognitive, motor, and behavioral impairments. However, pediatric-specific evidence on rehabilitation strategies remains limited. Objective: This review aimed to summarize current evidence on non-pharmacological neurorehabilitation interventions for children and adolescents with acute/subacute acquired or traumatic brain injury, including a subset of patients with disorders of consciousness. Methods: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus. Eligible studies investigated non-pharmacological rehabilitation approaches in pediatric or adolescent patients with severe acquired brain injury, traumatic brain injury, stroke, or disorders of consciousness. Data on interventions, outcomes, and main findings were extracted. Results: The reviewed studies included heterogeneous interventions, such as multidisciplinary rehabilitation, constraint-induced movement therapy, virtual-reality-based training, speech therapy, parent–child interaction therapy, sensory stimulation, autonomic monitoring, and neuromodulation. Overall, these approaches were feasible and generally well tolerated, with reported improvements in motor, functional, behavioral, autonomic, and consciousness-related outcomes. Conclusions: Non-pharmacological rehabilitation may support recovery in children and adolescents with severe brain injury, although current evidence remains preliminary and heterogeneous. Further multicenter studies with standardized protocols and outcome measures are needed to guide pediatric-specific rehabilitation practice.
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BibTeX
@article{cardile2026rehabilitation,
title = {{Rehabilitation in Pediatric Patients with Acute and Subacute Acquired Brain Injury: A Scoping Review on Non-Pharmacological Interventions}},
author = {Davide Cardile and Giulia Marafioti and Giuliana Tanner and Irene Cappadona and Maria Pagano and Francesco Corallo and Carmela Rifici and Angelo Quartarone and Rocco Salvatore Calabrò},
journal = {Journal of clinical medicine},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/jcm15197645},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13666136},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Rehabilitation in Pediatric Patients with Acute and Subacute Acquired Brain Injury: A Scoping Review on Non-Pharmacological Interventions
AU - Davide Cardile
AU - Giulia Marafioti
AU - Giuliana Tanner
AU - Irene Cappadona
AU - Maria Pagano
AU - Francesco Corallo
AU - Carmela Rifici
AU - Angelo Quartarone
AU - Rocco Salvatore Calabrò
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Journal of clinical medicine
DO - 10.3390/jcm15197645
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13666136
AB - Background: Acquired brain injury in children and adolescents may lead to long-term neurological, cognitive, motor, and behavioral impairments. However, pediatric-specific evidence on rehabilitation strategies remains limited. Objective: This review aimed to summarize current evidence on non-pharmacological neurorehabilitation interventions for children and adolescents with acute/subacute acquired or traumatic brain injury, including a subset of patients with disorders of consciousness. Methods: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus. Eligible studies investigated non-pharmacological rehabilitation approaches in pediatric or adolescent patients with severe acquired brain injury, traumatic brain injury, stroke, or disorders of consciousness. Data on interventions, outcomes, and main findings were extracted. Results: The reviewed studies included heterogeneous interventions, such as multidisciplinary rehabilitation, constraint-induced movement therapy, virtual-reality-based training, speech therapy, parent–child interaction therapy, sensory stimulation, autonomic monitoring, and neuromodulation. Overall, these approaches were feasible and generally well tolerated, with reported improvements in motor, functional, behavioral, autonomic, and consciousness-related outcomes. Conclusions: Non-pharmacological rehabilitation may support recovery in children and adolescents with severe brain injury, although current evidence remains preliminary and heterogeneous. Further multicenter studies with standardized protocols and outcome measures are needed to guide pediatric-specific rehabilitation practice.
SN - 2077-0383
ER -