Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40709624›Full record

ArticlePM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation2026

Access to assistive technology in pediatric brain injury care: Narrative perspectives of clinicians, vendors, and parents.

Debjani Mukherjee, Kaiulani S Shulman, Joseph J Fins

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Debjani MukherjeeDivision of Medical Ethics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8233-8608
Kaiulani S ShulmanDivision of Medical Ethics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0892-6185
Joseph J FinsDivision of Medical Ethics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7221-0053

Funding

Clinical and Translational Science AwardUL1TR001873 · NCATS · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · PI REILLY, MUREDACH P · 2016 to 2025
$99.0M
Disparities in COVID Disease Severity and Outcomes in New York CityUL1TR002384 · NCATS · WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV · PI JULIANNE L IMPERATO-MCGINLEY · 2017 to 2026
$86.2M
Blythedale Children's Hospital and the Monique Weill-Caulier Charitable TrustClinical and Translational Science Center, Weill Cornell Medical College UL1-TR002384NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001873NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR002384
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe critical need for assistive technology (AT) for children with brain injury is recognized. Despite its importance, there is scant literature on how delays and denials in the provision of AT affect recovery and rehabilitation.

objectiveTo examine the complex ecosystem of AT usage and barriers to access, drawing upon the perspectives of clinicians, vendors, and parents in an exploratory qualitative study.

designThis is a companion study to a quantitative retrospective medical chart review using grounded theory methods. Two focus groups with clinical staff, one focus group with vendors, and six interviews with parents of children with brain injury were conducted. The narrative data were combined to maximize the triangulation of themes.

settingPediatric rehabilitation hospital.

participantsMultidisciplinary rehabilitation clinicians, vendors who provide AT, and parents of children with brain injury.

resultsPrimary themes included coordinating with insurance, vendors, and funding; fostering age-appropriate independence; family's familiarity with AT; understanding the dynamic nature of development and recovery; impact on family relationships; costs/financial considerations; accepting role of AT; discovering new AT; accepting child's reality; and advocating for AT access.

conclusionThe ethical implications of delays in access to AT, particularly in children with maturing and recovering brains, are far reaching and bring to the forefront concerns about the potential impact of disability stigma, social justice, and access to devices and information and the importance of maximizing self-determination and enabling independence and autonomy. Delays in access to AT preclude both a child's rights and capabilities, adversely affecting their recovery and maturation and limiting their integration into society under disability law.

Indexed as

Brain InjuriesChildren with DisabilitiesHealth Services AccessibilityParentsSelf-Help DevicesAdolescentAdultChildChild, PreschoolCommerceFemaleFocus GroupsHumansMaleNarrationQualitative Research

Identifiers

PMID40709624
PMCPMC12721555

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.