by Melissa Myrick

Created on: August 14, 2007

Brain injuries are one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The Brain Injury Association reports that there are 1.4 million new brain injuries in the United States each year, one occurring every 23 seconds. This adds to the 5.3 million Americans who are already suffering with disabilities due to their brain injury.

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a physical trauma that occurs to the brain after birth. The affliction can run the gambit from mild to completely debilitating. When someone has taken a strike to the head, or has been shaken violently, it is important to be aware of the signs of trauma, so that a doctor can be seen as quickly as possible. If the person is nauseas, vomiting, slurring, confused, heir memory or responses are delayed, or if they have a distant, vacant look, call a doctor immediately, as these could be early signs of a TBI.

Once a person suffers a TBI, it is unlikely their mind will ever be quite the same. The level of their difficulty later in life is completely determined by the seriousness and place the injury occurred. The brain is a complex organ, and each section controls specialized functions throughout the body. It is very important not to compare their abilities and progress to others with TBI, as the afflictions can be so very different. In school, it is important for each child to have an individual education program, which is designed specifically for that child and their specialized needs. This plan works best when the input of parents as well as educators is involved, and needs to be changed periodically as the needs of the child change. This plan can start out as simple as having the child get ready and get to the school, and sit still for story time. Things do not need to start out big to have huge outcomes. It is crucial to be positive and cheer each goal reached, no matter how small. The outlook of the patient has a major impact on their healing time.

There are many short and long term learning problems that can come from a TBI. Reading, writing and planning are often a struggle, and many survivors have trouble with concentration, and talk and think much more slowly than someone who has not suffered a TBI. In time, many of these symptoms can be lessened, but the progress can be frustratingly slow. Family members should not lose hope. Survivors of TBI's do indeed have a harder time than others with learning, but they are, after all, proven survivors and with the right tools can and will thrive.

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