| Brain
Injury Defined
Brain injury is an insult to the brain that
may impair cognitive, physical, behavioral, and emotional
functions. The impairment may be temporary or permanent.
Common Causes
Automobile accidents
- Oxygen or blood flow interruptions
Statistics
- Every 15 seconds, someone receives a head
injury in the United States
- 2 million people are brain injured each
year, with 500,000 severe enough to require admission to a
hospital
- Every 5 minutes, one of those people will
die and another will become permanently disabled
- Brain injury is the leading killer and
cause of disability in children and young adults
- Two-thirds of all persons sustaining head
injuries are under age 30.
Characteristics
Every person is unique; so is each head
injury. Physical disabilities, impaired learning, and
personality changes are common for head injury patients.
Problems may occur in the following:
Physical
Speech
Hearing
Paralysis
Vision
Lack of Coordination
Seizure Disorder
Cognitive Impairments
- Concentration
- Attention
- Perception
- Planning
- Communication
- Writing Skills
- Short Term Memory
- Long Term Memory
- Judgment
- Sequencing
- Reading Skills
- Orientation
Behavioral/Emotional Changes
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Low Self Esteem
- Restlessness
- Agitation
- Mood Swings
- Excessive Emotions
- Depression
- Sexual Dysfunction
- Lack of Motivation
- Inability to Cope
- Self-Centeredness
After Brain
Injury - What Can I Do?
A brain injury affects each
person differently. Someone with a brain injury may appear fine
but act in unpredictable ways. Or, he or she may seem like a new
person to you. Not knowing what to expect may make you
frustrated, angry, or afraid.
How well a person recovers
depends on where and how badly the brain was injured. The
patient’s efforts and desire to recover also play a big part.
The biggest gains tend to occur in the first year. But for most
people, recovering from brain injury is a lifelong process.
Rehabilitation is a team effort.
Some of the members of the team may be as follows:
- A physiatrist – A doctor who
specializes in rehabilitation.
- Rehabilitation Nurses –
Provide patient care and train families to assist with
medical and rehabilitation needs of the patient.
- Psychiatrist or Psychologist
– Evaluate the patient’s mental skills and provide
guidelines for behavior.
- Physical Therapists – Help
the patient improve strength and motor skills.
- Occupational Therapies –
Help the patient relearn daily tasks, such as dressing and
eating.
- Speech Therapists – Help the
patient improve language skills, speech and cognitive
retraining.
- Recreational Therapists –
Help the patient find ways to spend leisure time and
reinforce rehabilitation goals.
- Social Worker/Case Manager –
Guide the family through the health care system and provides
guidance and support to the patient and family.
- Family and Friends – Help
the patient through the process by getting involved. Meet
with the rehab team, ask questions, get trained to assist
with therapy and rehabilitation goals.
REMEMBER!
PREVENTION IS THE BEST CURE TO BRAIN INJURY |
