OSU will help lead brain injury work
Foundation set to unveil national plan Friday

TULSA — Officials at the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences are taking the lead in the state in a national plan to improve care for children with brain injuries.

"It really means we will be the coordinator of services for the state,” said Dr. Kayse M. Shrum, who heads the pediatric department at OSU-CHS. "We will be coordinating care throughout the lifetime of a child.”

The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation will unveil the National Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury Plan on Friday in Washington.

OSU is one of 52 institutions selected to form a nationwide network to make sure children suffering from traumatic brain injuries are provided a continuum of care throughout their lives.

"An acquired brain injury refers to someone born with a normal brain and something happens to it, like a brain tumor, meningitis or shaken baby syndrome,” said Dr. Stanley E. Grogg, interim president of OSU-CHS.

Patrick B. Donohue of New York founded the Sarah Jane Brain Foundation in 2007 after his own 5-day-old daughter suffered traumatic brain injury that was blamed on being shaken violently by a nurse in 2005. Sarah Jane turns 4 years old Friday. She still is unable to walk, crawl or speak words as a result of her injury.

Since its founding, the group has quickly become a national voice for pediatric acquired brain injury.

"Right now, there are not a lot of guidelines or a standard of care past diagnosis,” Shrum said.

"Presently, what happens is a patient is referred to social services or occupational therapy, and there is no follow-up,” Grogg said.

OSU’s telemedicine program will allow children with these brain injuries to be monitored without leaving home, he said.

OSU also will provide research, prevention and education about pediatric acquired brain injury, Grogg said. The national effort’s reach still will depend on the amount of stimulus money and other funding it receives.

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