AGE AND RECOVERY FROM BRAIN INJURY - CLINICAL OPINIONS AND EXPERIMENTAL-EVIDENCE

For many years the notion that brain damage causes less impairment in children than in adults (sometimes known as the 'Kennard Principle') h as enjoyed widespread support among scientists and clinicians. More re cently neuroscientists have questioned the Principle, most now taking an opposing view that damage to the rapidly developing brain can be mo re harmful than equivalent damage in adulthood. Many clinicians, howev er, appear reluctant to reject the Kennard Principle. This study inves tigates the extent to which the Kennard Principle still guides the jud gement of different groups of health-care professionals (neurosurgeons , neurologists, neuropsychologists, general practitioners, nurses, phy siotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists). Subjec ts were asked to estimate the extent of recovery in clinically based b ut fictitious case studies which differed only in the reported age of the patient. The professions differed in their levels of optimism rega rding the extent of recovery to be expected, but all predicted better recovery in younger patients (under 10) than in adults with otherwise similar brain injuries. The results are discussed in terms of their im plications for the treatment of brain injuries in the young.