Funding outcome

Children with early brain injuries often develop deficits many years later. This occurs when the damaged brain is unable to keep up with new demands. One area where deficits appear is in executive function (EF). EFs are cognitive abilities that support problem-solving and creative thinking. EFs are critical to daily life - they help us succeed at school, at work, and at home. Children with early brain injures start to show problems with EF at school age. It is unknown whether more EF issues appear throughout childhood. Many wellness activities support healthy EF development, like getting enough sleep and staying active. Since children with early brain injury have EF deficits, it is important that they engage in wellness activities. But we know that many children with disabilities do not engage in wellness activities enough. In this study, two groups of parents will be asked to complete online surveys about their children with early brain injuries. The first group will be asked about their child's EF abilities. We measured EF in the same children, using the same survey, 3 years ago. This survey is an excellent measure of children's EF in their daily lives. This will tell us whether children get more EF issues as they grow. The second group will be asked about their child's wellness activities. They will also be asked about changes due to COVID-19. This will tell us if children are engaging in the wellness activities they need. This study will enhance our understanding of EF development for children with early brain injuries. By measuring engagement in wellness activities, it will also help guide investment in the futures of children with early brain injuries.