[Experiences with rehabilitation of children after severe head injuries (author's transl)].

In the Federal Republic of Germany, there are at present too few centers which are responsible for the rehabilitation of children and adolescents who receive severe head injuries. Up to now, attempts have been made to seek out the institutions responsible and to tabulate the rehabilitation opportunities they offer. Furthermore, the typical follow-up grades after severe head trauma will be mentioned and the necessary methods of treatment in each case ordered accordingly. The opportunity for clinical rehabilitation should first of all be accessible to all children and adolescents who suffer from such injuries; this can later be converted into out-patient rehabilitation. Time spent on the wards during this period in hospital varies, depending on the grade of retardation, ranging approximately from 6 weeks to 1 year for the less severe cases up to 4 years and occasionally longer for the severely retarded.