Transcript Traumatic Brain Injuries - EEX-2010-Spring-10

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Traumatic Brain Injuries
Jill Bryant, Julianette Casanova, Emily
Heckman, Robin Koogle, and Deanna Scott
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Definition: TBI
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TBI is a complex injury with a broad spectrum of symptoms
and disabilities. It occurs when a sudden trauma causes
damage to the brain. TBI can result when the head suddenly
and violently hits an object, or when an object pierces the
skull and enters the brain tissue.
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Prevalence
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The estimated incidence of traumatic brain injury doubles
between the ages of 5 and 14 years old, and increases for
both males and females during adolescence and early
adulthood. 1.4 million people sustain a TBI each year in the
United States. By the numbers, every American has a 1:300
chance of sustaining a traumatic brain injury each year. An
estimated 5.3 million Americans—about 2% of the U.S
population—currently have a long-term or life-long need for
help with everyday activities dues to traumatic brain injuries.
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Causes of TBI
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Major Characteristics
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Physical Impairments: speech, vision, hearing and other
sensory impairment, headaches, lack of fine motor coordination,
spasticity of muscles, paresis or paralysis of one or both sides
and seizure disorders, and balance.
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Cognitive Impairments: short- and long-term memory loss,
impaired concentration, limited attention span, as well as
impairments of perception, communication, reading and writing
skills, planning sequencing, and judgment.
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Psychosocial-behavioral-emotional impairments: fatigue,
mood swings, denial, self-centeredness, anxiety, depression,
lowered self-esteem, sexual dysfunction, restlessness, lack of
motivation, difficulty with emotional control, inability to cope,
agitation, excessive laughing or crying, and difficulty relating to
others.
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Major Characteristics
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Academic Implications:
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Difficulty with logic, thinking and reasoning
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Slower to respond, react and complete activities and tasks
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Difficulty focusing attention
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Physical limitations
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Inappropriate social behaviors
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Difficulty remembering
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Frequently puzzled or challenged by grade level work
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Difficulty learning
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Developmental Implications
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It is important for educators to note the social, emotional,
physical, and cognitive problems that are caused by
traumatic brain injuries.
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Traumatic brain injuries affect the whole person, since it
occurs in the brain, where all functions develop.
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Every case of traumatic brain injury is completely different,
affecting the person physically, emotionally, socially,
cognitively, or at all.
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Developmental Implications
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Emotional: Relearning the tasks of everyday living can be
very frustrating for traumatic brain injury survivors. Mild
emotional development issues include lack of motivation,
anger, and disappointment. Recovery is possible, but living
with a traumatic brain injury requires patience and
commitment. This can be difficult because the person in
recovery is often very different as a result of their injury. If a
person can accept their disability, their emotional difficulties
can be reduced, but it is important for sufferers to keep
pursuing treatment and activities to improve their condition.
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Developmental Implications
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Social: Many mild TBI sufferers have trouble interpreting the
actions of other people, which causes great stress in social
situations. Also, the cognitive impairments that often come
with a traumatic brain injury are hard for others in social
settings to understand. Since many TBI sufferers don’t have
extremely obvious impairments, people don’t sympathize
with them when they have trouble in social settings. Trouble
with communication is a huge obstacle for those with brain
injuries. In severe cases, the TBI sufferer may not even be
aware of their social surroundings and are unresponsive to
actions that normally stimulate the brain.
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Developmental Implications
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Cognitive: Cognitive and communication issues stemming from
traumatic brain injuries range from person to person. Mild
cognitive issues include:
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trouble organizing
keeping track of the date
forgetfulness
difficulty learning
and trouble intellectually applying skills that used to be familiar.
Severe issues include loss of responsiveness to any noise, smell,
or feeling that would normally stimulate the senses. This usually
occurs when swelling causes pressure in the brain stem, which
controls consciousness. The assessment of cognitive issues for
each patient requires ongoing care by a number of
professionals.
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Developmental Implications
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Physical: The most common problems people with TBI have
are problems with thinking and managing emotions. Many
traumatic brain injuries result from accidents, so
rehabilitation is often an initial physical obstacle to
overcome.
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More severe head injuries can result in physical impairments that
can last a lifetime.
A person with a mild to severe brain injury can have symptoms
that include dizziness, constant headache, vomiting and lack of
motor coordination.
Increased pressure in the skull can also cause paralysis,
weakness, loss of consciousness, slow breathing, slow heart rate,
and more. Abnormal posturing is another large sign of a brain
injury.
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Assessment & Diagnosis
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The diagnosis of TBI is usually obvious following a major
accident. But, the symptoms do not always show up right
away and it may take time for the patient to realize that they
are having difficulty in tasks that were once easy.
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Methods of Diagnosis
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Neurological examination
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CAT scan, MRI, SPECT, and PET to image the brain
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Cognitive evaluation by a neuropsychologist
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Speech, physical, and occupational evaluations by therapists in
those specific fields
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Treatment & Therapies
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Medications:
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Diuretics
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Anti-Seizure Drugs
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Coma-inducing drugs
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Therapy – Rehabilitation
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Surgery:
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Removing blood clots
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Repairing skull fractures
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Opening a window in the skull
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References
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"9 1/2 Need-To-Know Facts About Traumatic Brain Injury." Traumatic Brain Injury - TBI &
Head Injury Resource | BrainLine.org. N.p., n.d.Web. 11 Mar. 2010.
<http://www.brainline.org/content/2010/01/9-12-need-to-know-facts-about-traumaticbrain-injury.html>.
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"Diagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)." TBI |Traumatic Brain Injury| Traumatic Brain
Injury Resources| Brain Injury Support | Brain Injury Information . N.p., n.d.Web. 11 Mar.
2010. <http://www.traumaticbraininjury.com/content/symptoms/diagnosisoftbi.html>.
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"Traumatic Brain Injury Information Page: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and
Stroke (NINDS)." National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). N.p., n.d.
Web. 11 Mar. 2010. <http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/tbi.htm>.
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"Traumatic Brain Injury." Special Education. N.p., n.d.Web. 11 Mar. 2010.
<http://specialed.about.com/od/disabilities/a/tbi.htm>.
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"Traumatic brain injury - MayoClinic.com." Mayo Clinic medical information and tools for
healthy living - MayoClinic.com. N.p., n.d.Web. 11 Mar. 2010.
<http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/traumatic-brain-injury/DS00552>.
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Uomoto, Jay, and Ph.D.. "What Do Neuropsychological Tests Measure?." Brain Injury
Resource Foundation. N.p., n.d.Web. 11 Mar. 2010.
<http://www.birf.info/home/library/emotional/emotbi_lifecha.html>.