Alcohol, Drugs, and Head Injury

In Reply.— Dr Schwarz has brought out an interesting point in the etiology of adolescent closed head injury, but our study showed a predictable pattern of difficulties after injury regardless of prior substance abuse. In fact, the blood alcohol level was elevated in half of a sample of closed head-injured adolescents admitted to our unit; other substances of abuse were not systematically studied, but our experience suggests that they are also frequently involved. We routinely prescribe abstinence from alcohol and other drugs in our posttraumatic care.