Article

PURPOSE: To examine the adaptive functioning of children who underwent surgery
for brain tumours with a view to analyse the related acute impairments and to
describe their short-term outcome. METHOD: We investigated adaptive functioning
in 25 children (ranging from 2 to 18 years of age) for 40 days and again 3 and 6
months after they underwent surgery for various brain tumours. The Vineland
Adaptive Behaviour Scales (VABS) were used to assess their adaptive functioning,
considering the four main domains and all the subdomains. RESULTS: The results
remained stable over the follow-up period considered.
The domain in which the
scores were most severely affected was Daily Living, followed by the
Socialisation and Communication domains. Within the Communication domain, the
abilities investigated in the Receptive subdomain revealed the worst impairments.
Within the Daily Living domain, impairments were most evident in the children's
capacity to take care of themselves and handle domestic activities. In the
Socialisation domain, Play and Leisure Time, and Interpersonal Relationships were
the subdomains most severely impaired. CONCLUSIONS:
These findings are relevant
because identifying children's adaptive functioning difficulties sooner could
help their rehabilitation to be tailored and thus have a positive fallout on their long-term outcome.

Langue : ANGLAIS