system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Are there any long-term effects for people who have been in a prolonged coma as a child?

Since coma messes with your internal clock, does this lead to any abnormal physical and mental development patterns? E.g., do they have longer spines than normal people?
gpt
Doctor here

The reason a child would be in a coma would be a brain injury, either traumatic (car accident, Shaken Baby Syndrome) or atraumatic (anoxic brain injury from drowning or a stroke; for example). If the injuries are severe enough to cause coma lasting longer than a week or so, the child is likely to suffer long term consequences. These include things like developmental delay, muscle strength and coordination abnormalities, difficulty with speech and swallowing, and endocrine abnormalities that can result in things like abnormal puberty and stunted growth. 

Comas are indicative of severe injuries, with longer durations indicative of a worse functional outcome.