Cognitive and adaptive outcomes and age at insult effects after non-traumatic coma

Cognitive and adaptive behavioural outcome were studied in the identified s urvivors of a population based study of non-traumatic coma (NTC) in childho od. Children were assessed early (six weeks) and late (12 months) after NTC . At least 7% of those children in whom no suspicions of prior neurodevelop mental morbidity existed showed moderate or severe disability following NTC . Children over 2 years of age at insult showed some improvement between ea rly and late assessments; however, children below 2 years showed no improve ment. Differing age at insult effects were observed between aetiological gr oups. A relation between early age at first insult and poor outcome was par ticularly evident among children experiencing NTC caused by epilepsy.