Kids' head injuries could have long-term effects

May 29, 2009 A new review finds a blow to the head can affect a child's mental functioning for years afterward, depending on how severely the brain is affected.

The review in the journal Neuropsychology finds that children with mild brain injuries typically showed subtle effects that resolved with time.

Children who suffered mild head injuries showed small frequent negligible differences in memory, attention, and verbal ability in the short term.

In the long term, two years or more after injury most children showed no significant effects.

With more injuries, however, the risk of lingering problems was significantly greater.