Abstract

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